Grant: Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA)

The availability and utilization of quality and culturally responsive support systems are crucial in shaping children and youth's physical, cognitive, social, and behavioral development. However, for racialized and immigrant Canadians, these essential services are either not designed to address their unique circumstance or are out of their reach. The intersection of race/ethnicity, poverty and the COVID-19 pandemic have elevated the risk of poor health outcomes for racialized children in Canada and may contribute to widening existing racial opportunity and achievement gaps. This proposed research builds on the findings and momentum of our on-going childcare study in Kingston Ontario. To optimally support Black children's health and to address the anti-Black racial gaps in opportunity and achievement, communities must provide a comprehensive, well-coordinated system of care that reflects the multiple contexts within which racial children are embedded. Our overall aims are to work with Black communities and leaders, health and social service providers to identify and mobilize resources to promote equitable access to perinatal care and deconstruct biases through community-led learning programs.