Child welfare systems are being strained and stretched under the major social and economic changes taking place here and around the globe. Decision makers are struggling to develop policies and programs that better meet the needs of children and families while budgets are shrinking and deficits loom. Research based, policy-relevant information is crucial as they strive to make the decision. Child Welfare in Canada is a thorough summation of the current state of research on the broad area of child welfare in Canada. The text consists of 31 chapters, supplemented with over 50 statistical tables and graphs. The text concludes with a comprehensive agenda for the entire field of Canadian child welfare research. The themes of empowering and strengthening families, communities and social support networks, and providing family and cultural continuity for children are stressed throughout.