SWSD 2024

#0217 | Using Fuzzy Synthetic Evaluation Approach to Rank Policy Aspirations for Child Protection in Aruba: A Human Development Capability Approach

Clementia Eugene ¹ ; Tobi L. G. Graafsma ² ; Manon Sanches ³

1 - University of Aruba. 2 - Anton de Kom University of Suriname. 3 - Anton de Kom of University of Suriname.

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Summary

Child abuse is a growing concern in Aruba since the death of two brothers because of maltreatment in 2017. Investigations following this critical incident revealed the absence of clear child protection policies and protocols as some of the contributing factors to the untimely death of the children. This paper presents the findings of a Human Development Capabilities-based analysis to rank policy aspirations based on professionals' perceptions. The Capability Approach (CA) was applied, focusing on Nussbaum's 10 central capabilities, which she argues are constitutional guaranties for a life of social justice and human dignity. The 10 human capabilities are (1) Life; (2) Bodily health; (3) Bodily integrity and safety; (4) Senses, imagination and thought; (5) Emotions; (6) Practical reason; (7) Affiliation; (8) Other species; (9) Play and (10) Control over one’s environment. The sample comprised 98 health, justice, education, and psychosocial service professionals. The results reveal that professionals perceive children to least enjoy the capabilities of 'Bodily integrity and safety' and 'Control over their environment'. The capabilities somewhat enjoyed were 'Bodily health' and 'Other species.' The ranking of the indicators associated with these four capabilities presents a profile of the policy aspirational themes needed to guarantee children's right to a life worthy of human dignity and flourishing. The CA fills a theory gap in childhood studies that have been dominated by biopsychosocial theories. It provides a normative and evaluative framework for policy decision-making, given the multiple dimensions of human development. Recommendations are made to replicate this research amongst (i) the general population, (ii) children and (iii) families and service users within the four sectors. The purpose is to compare findings towards designing Aruba's population-informed capabilities-based child protection policy agenda.

Keywords (separate with commas)

Capability Approach, child protection policy, Fuzzy Synthetic Evaluation Approach

#0774 | Leveraging Technology: Exploring the Use of Technology by Children in Foster Care as a Model for International Child Welfare

Rebecca Gomez ¹ ; Camie Tomlinson ² ; Naomi Reddish ³ ; Angela Matijczak ³

1 - The University of Texas at Austin. 2 - The University of Louisville. 3 - Virginia Commonwealth University.

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#0837 | The Tapestry of Students’ Transformative International Field Experience Through Weaving Respect for Diversity and the Practice of Cultural Humility

Dr. Angela Kim ¹ ;

Deirdre Spelman ¹ ;

Gabrielle Stauffer ¹ ;

Jade Shomper ¹

1 - Marywood University.

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Summary

The mission of social work education emphasizes the promotion of social justice and respect for diversity and the practice of cultural humility.The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) calls for “social workers to recognize how cultural and ethnic histories are critical for shaping an individual’s identity and social workers understand that a consequence of an individual’s diversity and the differences in a person’s life experiences.”Marywood University’s MSW students participated in 4 weeks of international field experiences in Kenya, Romania and South Korea, 2017, 2019 and 2023 respectively. Due to active Covid-19, the international field experience trip was on hold from 2020 to 2022.\ The goals of Marywood University MSW students’ international field experience trip are: 1) to provide opportunities with diverse client systems to promote the intersectionality of cultures, 2) to provide opportunities to experience a variety of ways social work is performed outside the USA and compare USA Social work\ to other nation’s social work policy and practice, and 3)\ to increase student’s ability to think and to practice globally and to become more aware of global policies and practices.\ This presentation will focus on Marywood University MSW students’ transformative experience through engagement and participation in diverse settings, such as child and family welfare services, health care and understanding of the universal health care system in South Korea. In addition, students\ will present the differences in the ideology of Asian and Western cultures and the importance of integrating the culture, values, and belief systems into service provision and community development.Implications for social work education: participants will: 1) identify the possible challenges and benefits of the international social work field experience trip, 2) develop strategies to integrate international field experience with the social work curriculum, and 3) promote international social work professional identity.\

Keywords (separate with commas)

International Social Work Education, Respecting Diversity, Practicing Cultural Practice, Building Global Citizenship

#1352 | Play therapy as an intervention in response to child abuse and maltreatment in Jamaica.

Keisha Tomlinson ¹

1 - Child Protection and Family Services Agency.

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Summary

This abstract explores play therapy\ as an intervention in response to child abuse and maltreatment in Jamaica. With a focus on children's unique emotional and psychological needs,\ this paper delves into the theoretical foundations and ethical principles of play therapy and its ability to help children reach their full potential highlighting its capacity to alleviate their emotional, behavioral, and mental health problems.\ Children between the ages of three to thirteen years are referred to the child protective system in Jamaica due to various reasons including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect, behavioral problems, bereavement, and attachment issues. However, due to their developmental age and the extent of abuse, they may not have the language to express themselves effectively. Play therapy provides the opportunity for children to ‘play out ‘ what may be too painful to say in words.Virgina Axline a pioneer in the field of play therapy in her book Dibs in Search of Self introduced eight basic principles that form the foundation of non-directive play therapy.\ These principles encompass the essence of creating a safe, empathetic, and non-judgmental space that allows children to freely express themselves, build resilience, and solve their problems.\ The child protection system in Jamaica is constantly evolving and play therapy has gained recognition as one of the latest strategies notable within the Child Protection and Family Services Agency.\ \ In conclusion, this abstract underscores the importance of a collaborative approach involving mental health professionals, policymakers, and societal stakeholders to further integrate play therapy into comprehensive strategies aimed at mitigating the adverse consequences of child abuse and maltreatment in Jamaica.

Keywords (separate with commas)

Play therapyChild abuseMaltreatmentJamaicaEmotional and psychological needsTheoretical foundationsEthical principlesFull potentialEmotional problemsBehavioral problemsMental health problemsChild protective systemPhysical abuseSexual abuseEmotional abuseNeglectBereavementAttachment issuesDevelopmental ageLanguageExpress themselvesVirgina AxlineNon-directive play therapySafe space\ empatheticNon-judgmentalResilienceChild Protection and Family Services AgencyCollaborative approachMental health professionalsPolicymakersSocietal stakeholdersComprehensive strategies\

#0292 | Since 2020, child welfare referrals have increased exponentially within the UK, alongside a reduction of students qualifying in social work. Is social work under threat?

Jill Davey ¹

1 - Edinburgh Napier University.

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#0428 | Economic Cost of Social Services in Child Protection: An Aggregated Estimation - The Case of Aruba

Favienne Thode ¹ ;

Clementia Eugene ¹

1 - University of Aruba.

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Summary

The COVID-19 pandemic caused an economic crisis around the globe, causing the Aruban governmentproblems allocating financial resources and provoking budget cuts. The cost of social services needed tobe known to support social investment in child protection. This research estimates the financial costs ofintervention for child protection. The unit of analysis for this study was the Victim Support Unit, ChildProtection Services, Department of Social Affairs and ‘Bureau Sostenemi', i.e., the agency responsible forreporting all forms of child maltreatment. According to a local study, physical abuse was the mostprevalent type in Aruba. Consequently, an aggregated economic cost of a single physical abuse case studywas estimated using the Cost Accounting Method of Normal Job Costing. The total cost was estimated bysumming up the relevant costs of the organizations from the unit of analysis using the Vital WorkloadPercentages Factor to refine the costs. The results revealed the estimated cost is US$ 356.88 per case,while the annual cost is US$ 1,705,999.31. Based on a 50.2% year prevalence of child maltreatment, thetheoretical annual intervention cost was estimated at US$ 4,050,770.47. The results also revealed that thecurrent budget of intervention is approximately half of what the cost should be theoretically. Therefore,recommendations are made to increase budgetary provisions for child protection. It is also recommendedto replicate the study using the Activity-Based Costing method (ABC -method) instead. This is becausethe ABC-method would calculate the costs per intervention activity/action in the Work BreakdownStructures (WBS) developed in this research instead of generalizing the expenses like the Normal JobCosting method.

Keywords (separate with commas)

Economic cost, aggregated estimation, child protection

#0640 | Social Work in Child Protection: Exploring the Role of Play Therapy

Keisha Tomlinson ¹

1 - Child Protection and Family services agency.

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Summary

Child protection is a critical area within the social work practice which focuses on protecting children at risk of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect. When caregivers become abusive and exploit their position of power the Child Protection System becomes responsible to take action, this usually involves the intervention of social workers. This abstract examines highlights the role that play therapy can play in the healing and recovery of children affected by trauma and the benefits and challenges associated with integrating play therapy within social work practice.following are the key points:A. Understanding Play Therapy: Play therapy is a specialized theoretical model that utilizes the therapeutic powers of play to help children express themselves and work through their traumatic experiences. Research highlights the value of reaching children through play therapy and, therefore, this paper will examine its relevance within the context of child protection.B. Helping Children Recover From Trauma: Children who have experienced trauma such as abuse, neglect can have long-term consequences that affect emotions, behaviour, ability to express themselves and even alter the brain. Play therapy however provides the opportunity for children to express what is too difficult to say in words, it allows them to tell their stories.C. Ethical Consideration: The ethical consideration and guidelines in the use of play therapy will be explored such as privacy, confidentiality, informed consent, do no harm and abuse reporting and cultural consideration when working with a diverse population. D. Multiagency Approach and Risk Assessment: Child protection involves collaborative efforts of several practitioners including social workers, educators, medical clinicians and others to ensure the holistic well-being of children. This paper will seek to examine the child protection system in Jamaica and explore the value of play therapy as an intervention in response to child abuse and maltreatment.

Keywords (separate with commas)

Understanding Play therapy, Helping Children recover from Trauma, Ethical consideration, multidisciplinary approach and Risk assessment

#0904 | Child Protection Through the Covid-19 Pandemic: The Experience of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency, Jamaica

Warren A. Thompson ¹

1 - Child Protection and Family Services Agency, Jamaica.

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#0429 | The way of interrest in sosial problems and volunteer activities among citizens in a local city in Japan

Toshiyuki Tsukamoto ¹ ;

Shinsuke Funaki ¹ ; Naoko Hashimoto ² ; Yuko Nagai ¹

1 - Fukui Prefectural University. 2 - Kwansei Gakuin University.

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Summary

In order to deal with various social problems, there has been increasing interest in policies and programs promoting volunteer activity among citizens in Japan. The local governments in Japan attempt to promote community participation and engagement such as volunteer work and non-profit organizations among citizens.This study is based on a survey questionnaire conducted among 4000 people from 20 to 80 years old who is currently living in Fukui city, Japan in March 2019. 4000 respondents were selected randomly. Valid responses were 1236, 30.9% of the total informants. The data on this survey was analyzed quantitatively to investigate a correlation between two elements on volunteer activities (participation experience and intention) and three elements on the way of interest in social problems (perception of the existence of social problems, selfish tendency, sociological imagination). This study shows that selfish tendency closely with the participation and intention in volunteer activities. Citizens with a strong selfish tendency do not participate in volunteer activities and they do not have a willingness to participate. Lack of economic, temporal and spiritual margin strengthens selfish tendency. Citizens who have sociological imagination can relate social problems to personal events. They have extensive participation experience and intention. On the other hand, just recognizing the existence of social problems can not lead to the participation and intention in volunteer activities.The study’s results suggest that in order to recruit participants in the volunteer activities it will be effective to reduce social disparity and cultivate sociological imagination.

Keywords (separate with commas)

volunteer activities, interest in sosial problems, questionnaire survey, statistical analysis

#0452 | Aprendiendo Juntos sobre Diabetes

Gisele Mosegui ¹

1 - CUBS - Fundación Diabetes Uruguay.

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Summary

Desde el 2015 la Fundación Diabetes Uruguay viene asistiendo a los Centros Educativos y Deportivos dictando capacitaciones sobre Diabetes y vida saludable para todos.Surge como una imperiosa necesidad por parte de los propios adolescentes y jóvenes, que padecen la realidad del desconocimiento sobre la condición de vida que ellos tienen, la Diabetes, tanto de los docentes, como funcionarios del centro educativo/deportivo, de sus pares en la clase y de la comunidad toda. Se elaboró un material para poder explicar lo que es la Diabetes, los tipos, tratamientos, causas, consecuencias de una diabetes sin control y la presentación de las Guías de atención a las personas con Diabetes en los centros educativos y deportivos. En estos talleres interactivos también se promociona la incorporación de hábitos saludables, alimentación saludable y la realización de la actividad física, vitales éstos para no sólo evitar el desarrollo de Diabetes tipo 2, sino de otras enfermedades no trasmisibles como enfermedades cardiovasculares, pulmonares y algunos cánceres.Estos talleres son siempre bien recibidos por toda la comunidad, se presentan los conceptos de forma sencilla y amigable para todas las edades, procurando concientizar que el estado de salud y el bienestar en un altísimo porcentaje, depende de cada uno de nosotros; siempre tendremos alternativas para acercarnos al camino saludable presentado y si es en familia ? mucho mejor.Se han realizado estos talleres también junto a la Administración Nacional de Educación Pública (ANEP) y Secretaría Nacional del Deporte (SND), para la formación de los docentes (maestros, docentes y profesores de educación Física) de todo el país.

Keywords (separate with commas)

Diabetes, guías, ANEP, SND, docentes, vida saludable, tipos de diabetes, enfermedades no trasmisibles

#0687 | Bayanihan ‘Spirit of Community’: Reconnecting to culture and fostering cultural wellbeing among the Filipino diaspora in Western Sydney, Australia

Liza Moscatelli ¹

1 - Western Sydney University.

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#0927 | Itineraries of Popular Education in Brazil and Chile: the influences of Paulo Freire and Ernani Fiori in Social Work

Graziela Scheffer ¹

1 - Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro.

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#0150 | Lessons learned on child welfare needs and service delivery from the RESEARCH ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH PARTNERSHIP (RCYP) Trinidad & Tobago

Karene-Anne Nathaniel ¹ ; Godfrey St Bernard ¹ ; Safia King ¹ ; Shivana Chankar ¹

1 - The University of the West Indies.

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Summary

The Rights of Children and Youth Partnership (RCYP) research project spanned six-years (2015-2020), developed to increase knowledge and evidence around factors that support or hinder the protection of children and youth rights in a number of territories including Trinidad & Tobago. The guiding question was: What are the factors influencing the implementation of the UNCRC in different countries, i.e. Promoters of and barriers to implementation. The research was organized under six thematic areas: 1.Education 2.Child protection 3.Judicial systems 4.Immigration Dynamics 5.Forms of violence against children and youth, 6.The use of social media. Researchers developed a quantitative survey - the Social Media and ICT Questionnaire and Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire. Researchers targetted children aged 11 to 17 years in 46 secondary schools in Trinidad and Tobago, and received 407 questionnaires from 14 schools. The qualitative methodology involved meta-analysis and meta-synthesis of available data, quantitative prevalence studies (e.g., national surveys of various forms of violence against children and youth), institutional ethnographies of organizations that work with children and youth, in depth semi structured interviews (individual and focus groups) and policy analysis. 70 respondent individuals and organizations participated in the qualitative studies.This presentation would spotlight 20 lessons learned from the analysis of the data gathered in the RCYPTT between 2015-2020. Insights gained showed that while there are many NGO's providing services to children & youth, and the formal sector seems to have incorporated the articles of the UNCRC on paper, these seem to be less evident in practice in informal sectors like homes, schools, communities and on social media. Peer-on-peer abuse, cyber-assaults and different forms of child abuse persist. Specialised areas of social work training and practice are implicated, e.g. social innovation & entrepreneurship, Gen Z youth work, gender & relationship education, creating youth-friendly spaces & attitudes, and promoting digital intellect. Public education should be supported by rigid sanctions.

Keywords (separate with commas)

UNCRC, youth-focused research, child rights, child protection, child welfare, social media, Trinidad&Tobago

#0205 | Systemic practice in child welfare services in Finland – a multi-case study

Camilla Granholm ¹ ;

Ann Backman ²

1 - University of Turku. 2 - University of Applied Sciences Novia.

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#1175 | Child welfare workers’ perceptions on pandemic service disruptions and areas of improvement: Working with newcomer families in Ontario, Canada during COVID-19.

Daniel Kikulwe ¹ ; Derrick Ssewanyana ² ;

Sarah Maiter ¹

1 - York University. 2 - University of Toronto.

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Summary

IntroductionThe study reports on child welfare workers’ views on the\ extent of COVID-19 related disruptions to child protection services for newcomer families in Ontario, Canada and how child welfare services can be improved as the pandemic unfolded.BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on child welfare services.\ The COVID-19 mitigation responses by governments introduced health restrictions and drastic changes to child protection services including adaptation from traditional in-person services to virtual sessions, posing numerous challenges for service-providers and families with child welfare involvements. For families, the pandemic led to a rise in psychosocial distress, increased poverty, home schooling, and isolation; all together resulting in heightened caregiving burdens, sub-optimal childhood, and impacts on youth well-being, alongside heightened vulnerability to child maltreatment incidents. It is timely to understand areas for improvement because these factors have not only impacted families but have also constrained the wellbeing and productivity of child welfare service providers.MethodA total of 108 child welfare workers from Ontario, Canada participated in an online survey during the second wave of the pandemic. The study addressed the following: 1) workers’ caseload characteristics--approximate percentage of newcomer families/visible minorities served; 2) level of difficulty for newcomer families accessing child welfare services due to COVID-19 related disruptions; and 3) areas of service which need to be expanded/improved to support child safety for newcomer families during COVID-19 and beyond.FindingsThe top four services identified by respondents as creating\ difficulty or extreme difficulty when supporting newcomer families were:\ volunteer drive services (93%); supervised agency visits (87%); referral to in-person community services (77%); and treatment (e.g., addiction and substance use treatment) programs (76%).RecommendationsExpanding financial/material assistance to families, promoting sensitivity to families’ language, parenting and culture, and mental health services would immensely improve welfare of both clients and service providers.

Keywords (separate with commas)

Newcomer families, COVID-19, Child welfare services, Urban/Rural regions

#1194 | Balancing Protection and Participation: Practices of Norwegian Child Welfare Workers in Emergency Cases

May Gresdahl ¹

1 - Universidad Noruega de Sciencia y Tecnología.

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Summary

In child welfare (CW) emergency cases, striking the right balance between child protection and participation poses profound challenges. By restricting the possibility of comprehensive information gathering and thorough assessments, the urgency that defines emergency cases adds another layer of intricacy to the already difficult CW decision-making processes. Drawing on insights from interviews with 17 CW practitioners, this study sheds light on how Norwegian CW professionals navigate these complex situations.A salient finding is that many practitioners adopt a protective stance, ensuring children are shielded from the weight of decisions, especially regarding out-of-home placements. This approach is grounded in a perspective that predominantly perceives children as vulnerable beings in need of protection, necessitating adult intervention. However, the study uncovers an intriguing contradiction. When children explicitly express a desire not to stay in their familial settings, this becomes paramount in the decisions pertaining to out-of-home placements. The study further revealed that great value is provided to the children's statements regarding their care situation when assessing the need for an emergency intervention altogether.This dualistic practice reveals an inherent tension, illustrating the fine balance CW practitioners strive to maintain between perceiving children as vulnerable individuals requiring protection and as competent agents whose opinions and emotions warrant acknowledgment and respect. This study accentuates the delicate interplay between protection and participation, underscoring the necessity for CW professionals to skillfully navigate these complex terrains, especially when children's well-being and expressed desires hang in the balance. These findings echo the broader theme of "respecting diversity through joint social action," underlining the significance of inclusive and collaborative decision-making that cherishes and integrates children's diverse experiences and wishes, even in the gravest of circumstances.

Keywords (separate with commas)

child welfare, emergency cases, child participation, child protection, decision making\

#0073 | Involvement in Education: Relationship Patterns between Immigrant Bangladeshi Parents and their young children in Portugal

Mahmudul Hassan ¹

1 - McGill University.

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#0115 | Keeping memories of everyday group experiences in residential children’s homes

Siân Lucas ¹

1 - University of Stirling.

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#0149 | Empower the Youth from the High-Risk Family

Fen ling Chen ¹ ; CHIN-YI CHANG ² ; JUNE-YUNG HUNG ²

1 - Department of Social Work, National Taipei University. 2 - Adolescents’ home.

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#0441 | Promising Preventions for Addressing Youth Mental Health: A Scoping Review

Barbara Lee ¹ ;

Dora M.Y. Tam ² ; Tara Collins ² ; Shauna Burke ³ ;

Siu Ming Kwok ⁴ ; Sylvia YCL Kwok ⁵ ; Ron Kwok ⁶ ; Lindsay Savard ⁷

1 - School of Social Work, University of British Columbia. 2 - Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. 3 - School of Health Studies, Western University. 4 - School of Public Policy, University of Calgary. 5 - Department of Social & Behavioural Sciences, City University of Hong Kong. 6 - Department of Information Systems, City University of Hong Kong. 7 - School of Social Work, McGill University.

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Summary

Adolescence is a unique period of physical, social, and emotional development. Yet, this development can be hampered by structural inequalities, adverse childhood experiences, and difficulties experienced in environmental contexts. These conditions may exasperate mental health issues and negatively impact adolescent well-being. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the empirical literature on promising prevention approaches targeting youth mental health and to consider their application in both Canada and China.The scoping review was conducted using Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) framework and PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines (Peters et al., 2020; Tricco et al., 2018). Terms related to each concept (e.g., adolescent/youth, prevention, mental health/wellbeing) were used to search the titles, abstracts, and keywords in eleven electronic databases, and studies published from 2010-2022 were included. The location, study objectives, methodology, sample, prevention program/approach, and findings were extracted and reviewed via content analysis.A total of 54 studies were deemed eligible and included for analysis. Most of the studies were from the USA (n=19), followed by Canada (n=6), Australia (n=5) and China (n=3)/Hong Kong, China (n=2). Twenty-two studies evaluated a specific prevention program, with half of them (n=11) implemented in school-based settings. Among all studies, some prevention initiatives and approaches included peer mentoring, sports/recreational activities, healthy eating programs, mindfulness-based stress reduction programs, academic supports, psycho-education workshops, mental health screening, and a crisis support text line.The authors of all studies reported promise in the prevention programs or initiatives examined.This scoping review is limited in its exclusion of grey literature, which could have eliminated promising prevention efforts that have not been evaluated and/or published in academic journals. Future research efforts could focus on examining a narrower scope and definition of mental health for a more targeted approach.

Keywords (separate with commas)

Child and youth mental health (CYMH), Adolescence, Prevention, Social Programs, Promising Practices, Scoping Review

#0461 | Pass the ball with love, make a team to support the youth in vulnerability

An-Ti Shih ¹ ; Yu fen Huang ² ; Ruei-Rong Yan ² ; Fen-Ling Chen ¹

1 - National Taipei University. 2 - CTBC Bank Co., Ltd..

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Summary

Objective: The primary goal of this project evaluation study is to understand the impact of basketball training on vulnerable youth. Increasing evidence suggests that sports can enhance the physical and mental well-being of adolescents in vulnerable situations. In line with its corporate social responsibility, CTBC Bank aims to provide stable basketball training support to schools for vulnerable youth who are at risk of dropping out due to adverse family factors. The goal of this project is to enhance the youths' sense of self-worth through basketball training, reducing the likelihood of drug abuse or gang involvement. This evaluation study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the project from the perspective of social work and provide recommendations for project improvement.Methods: Starting from April 2022, two junior high schools, around 50 students participated in this project, the team employed various methods to evaluate the project's outcomes. These included regular on-site observations of basketball activities, pre- and post- self-evaluate-questionnaires completed by participating students to understand their thoughts about the training, comparison of academic performance before and after joining the project, and focus group interviews with teachers to gather their perceptions about participating students.Results: Current provisional findings indicated that participating students showed improvements in physical fitness, mental well-being, and increased motivation and energy for learning. They also expressed a higher willingness to attend school, learned the importance of teamwork, exhibited better adherence to group discipline and norms, experienced increased self-esteem, and established life goals. On the other hand, the varying skill levels of participants in basketball lead to learning frustrations, and the scarcity of female members posed challenges in terms of training difficulty for this project.

Keywords (separate with commas)

vulnerable youth, adverse family, youth work, youth basketball project

#1317 | Silent battles of confronting racism: lived experiences of ethnoracial youth in Western Canada

Neringa Dainaraviciute ¹

1 - University of British Columbia.

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Summary

In this paper, I present the findings from the participatory research with 18 young participants (ages 15-23) who shared their experiences of racism in Vancouver, Canada. The study revealed that addressing racism directly can be difficult, especially for young people living in multicultural societies. This paper focuses on the motivations and tactics of ethnoracial minority youth that emerged in response to racist encounters. I will explore three primary reasons for their reluctance to confront racism directly. First, the participants expressed challenges arising from the difficulty of identifying whether an incident qualifies as racist, which leads them to second-guess the situation and their experience. Second, I\ will explore how youth were hesitant to perpetuate harmful narratives and reinforce stereotypes.\ Third, I will delve into their fear of triggering a negative feedback loop that influences their decision-making process. Their concerns about inadvertently increasing racial tensions and exacerbating discrimination will be discussed in detail. One notable finding in these stories is the profound impact of bystander silence in the presence of racism. The inaction of others shaped their responses and highlighted the societal norms and systemic underpinnings that perpetuate racial disparities. By incorporating narratives and perspectives shared by study participants in the interviews and focus groups, I highlight the complexity of their thought processes, internal conflicts and unspoken challenges they face. These multifaceted reasons behind their silence in the face of racism deepen our understanding of youth's challenges in addressing racism. The lived experiences of this group of ethnoracial minority youth offer new understandings that invite us to rethink resisting racism directly. In conclusion, I will propose practical implications for social action to disrupt these patterns of racial oppression.

Keywords (separate with commas)

Racism, Canada, multicultural societies, ethnoracial minority youth, lived experiences, confronting racism, stereotypes, racist encounters, unspoken challenges, systemic underpinnings\