Faith, Equity, and Family Preservation at CCAS

In an exclusive interview with Black Business Magazine, Priscilla Manful, Chief Executive Officer of the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, shares insights into the responsibility and vision behind leading one of the city’s most vital social service organizations. With a deep commitment to equity, community partnership, and compassionate leadership, Priscilla is focused on reshaping how child welfare systems support families and protect children.

Priscilla Manful was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CCAS) in 2022, becoming the first Black CEO in the organization’s history. With over two decades of experience in social services, including seventeen years at CCAS, Priscilla is a visionary leader recognized for advancing social justice, inclusive leadership, and transformative initiatives in child welfare.

You became the first Black CEO in the history of the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto after 17 years within the organization. What does this milestone mean to you personally, and what message do you hope it sends to Black leaders and young people in child welfare?

Stepping into the role of CEO after 17 years at the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CCAS) was a moment filled with gratitude and reflection. I thought about the families and children who shaped my understanding of this work, the mentors who challenged me, and my Catholic faith that has anchored me throughout my life. Becoming the first Black CEO in the organization’s history is not something I see as a personal accolade — it is a responsibility. Representation matters. I remember sitting in rooms earlier in my career where I didn’t see myself reflected, and I know how powerful it can be for Black staff, youth, and community members to see themselves in leadership. I hope my presence signals possibility and a commitment to serving with humility, dignity, and courage.

To Black leaders and young people in child welfare, my message is simple: you belong here. Your lived experience, cultural insight, resilience, and faith are leadership strengths, not limitations. With faith as our foundation and integrity as our compass, we can lead authentically, transform systems that weren’t built for us, and create new pathways for others to follow. This milestone is bigger than me; it reflects the many people who opened doors quietly and the community that continues to push for equity. I hope my journey affirms that your voice matters and that you have a place in shaping the future of this sector.

When you stepped into the CEO role in 2022, what were your top priorities for transforming CCAS—especially in how families, youth, and communities experience the child welfare system?

When I stepped into the CEO role in 2022, my priorities were centered on transforming both the culture and operations of CCAS, so families, youth, and communities experienced us differently — and more equitably. Rebuilding trust was essential, especially with communities that have historically been overrepresented or harmed within the child welfare system. That meant embedding Anti-Racist and Anti-Oppressive practices, strengthening accountability, and listening intentionally to the voices of youth and community partners. I also focused on sharpening our commitment to prevention and family strengthening. Wherever safely possible, families should remain together and connected to their culture and community, so we invested in early intervention, kinship care, and deeper collaboration with community organizations.

Internally, transformation required supporting and stabilizing our workforce. Staff cannot deliver compassionate, consistent service if they do not feel equipped or valued, so we strengthened leadership capacity, clarified expectations, and fostered a culture grounded in reflection and learning. At the same time, I sought to ensure our Catholic identity was something lived, not stated — rooted in dignity, compassion, and subsidiarity. Ultimately, my goal was simple: that families feel respected, youth feel heard, communities see us as partners, and children remain safe while staying connected to who they are and where they come from.

You’ve helped lead initiatives such as the One Vision One Voice Africentric Wraparound Program, the HARP model, and the Male Engagement Worker pilot. In simple terms, how are these kinds of Afrocentric and community‑based models changing outcomes for Black children and families?

Afrocentric and community-based models like One Vision One Voice (OVOV), the Africentric Wraparound Program, HARP, and the Male Engagement Worker pilot are changing outcomes for Black children and families by reshaping how support is delivered from the very first point of contact. These approaches were created in response to clear evidence of disproportionate investigations and child welfare involvement for Black families. By grounding our work in cultural understanding, trauma-informed practice, and strong partnerships with community organizations, schools, and service providers, we’ve been able to intervene earlier and more effectively.

OVOV’s Wraparound model helped eliminate service disparities and directly informed the creation of our Holistic Assessment and Response Pathways (HARP) model. HARP has been especially transformational — during the pilot, we supported more than 200 families, and not a single child came into care. Families shared overwhelmingly positive feedback, and the model demonstrated that prevention is possible when assessments are holistic and supports are culturally aligned. Together, these initiatives show that when services honour identity, reduce bias, and engage community strengths, Black children and families experience better, safer, and more equitable outcomes.

CCAS is guided by Anti‑Racist, Anti‑Oppressive Practice, Catholic identity, and trauma‑informed approaches. How do you bring these principles together in day‑to‑day decisions, and how do you define “success” when the goal is both child safety and keeping families together?

For me, Anti-Racist and Anti-Oppressive Practice, Catholic identity, and trauma-informed approaches are not separate frameworks — they are the foundation of how we make decisions every day. Anti-Racist and Anti-Oppressive Practice requires us to actively examine how bias or systemic inequities may be influencing our assessments. That means asking: Whose voice is missing? Are we responding to true safety concerns, or to the impacts of poverty, trauma, or cultural misunderstanding? It pushes us to act with reflection, accountability, and courage.

Our Catholic identity reminds us of the inherent dignity of every child, youth, and parent. It shapes how we show up — with compassion, subsidiarity, and a belief that families have strengths that deserve to be reinforced, not replaced. A trauma-informed lens then guides how we intervene. Instead of “What’s wrong?” we ask, “What has happened, and how can we support healing?”

Bringing these principles together means holding two goals at once: child safety and family preservation. Safety is non-negotiable, but removal is not our measure of success. Success is when risks are reduced through support, when families feel respected and empowered, and when children remain connected to their identity, culture, and community. True success is sustainable well-being grounded in dignity, equity, and healing.

For Black community members and faith leaders who want to partner with CCAS to better support children, youth, and families, what are one or two practical ways they can get involved in this work of transformational change?

That’s an important question, and I’m grateful for the Black community members and faith leaders who want to partner with us in this work. One practical way to get involved is through relationship and dialogue. We welcome churches, community groups, and faith leaders to invite CCAS into their spaces to host conversations about child welfare, prevention, and family strengthening. When we build understanding together, we reduce fear and stigma, and we create culturally responsive pathways for families to access support long before challenges escalate.

A second meaningful way to engage is by becoming part of the circle of care. This can look like exploring foster or kinship caregiving, mentoring young people, supporting family resource programs, or partnering with us on community-based prevention initiatives. Transformational change happens when the community sees itself not just as a stakeholder, but as a co-creator of children’s well-being.

We know the Black community has experienced overrepresentation and mistrust within child welfare, and that calls us to humility, transparency, and authentic collaboration. When faith leaders and community members bring their wisdom, lived experience, and spiritual leadership to the table, outcomes for children and families become stronger. That is how sustainable, transformational change takes root.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Black Business Magazine or its affiliates. The magazine is committed to supporting Black entrepreneurs and fostering conversations that promote inclusion and economic empowerment.