Youth Receiving Child Welfare Services and their Preferred Relationships With Their Service Providers

Purpose: This study explores the experiences of youth receiving Child Welfare Services (CWS) in Nova Scotia, Canada and their preferred relationships with different service providers and how these relationships may promote or hinder their resilience at different levels of risk exposure. Method: Qualitative interviews with 23 youth (aged 14–19) were analyzed using grounded theory. Results: The analysis revealed two core categories, relationship building and mentoring relationship as well as supporting themes that were modelled into a theoretical understanding of three distinct relationship patterns (parent-like, peer-like, and professional) that youth seek from their service providers. Findings discuss the category relationship building, comprising of two themes—youth mobility and multiple service providers; followed by a discussion on the three mentoring relationships. Conclusion: Implications address how salient features from these patterns of youth–worker relationships can be effectively integrated into service delivery.