Kristin Denault is a PhD candidate in the School of Social Work under the supervision of Dr. Nico Trocm茅. She brings 18 years of professional experience in Ontario鈥檚 child welfare sector, including front-line practice, supervision, senior leadership, and program and policy development roles. Alongside her doctoral studies, she works as a registered social worker in Ontario, with professional experience in clinical practice, child welfare worker and supervisor training, and clinical investigation. She is a research assistant at 91丝瓜视频鈥檚 Centre for Research on Children and Families.
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Kristin鈥檚 research interests include child welfare systems, child and infant maltreatment, mother鈥搃nfant relationships, and decision-making in child welfare, with a particular focus on risk assessment. Kristin鈥檚 doctoral comprehensive examinations focused on maternal intrusive thoughts and the interpretation of risk in Ontario child welfare. She is also interested in child and family social policy and program evaluation, including evaluations of Indigenous child well-being programs.听
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Articles:
Joh-Carnella, N., Allan, K., Vandermorris, A., Denault, K., & Fallon, B. (2025). Medical neglect in Canada: A cross-sectional study exploring drivers of substantiation using a national dataset.听BMJ Paediatrics Open.
McGonegal, C., Denault, K., Esposito, T., Fallon, B. & Trocm茅, N. (2025).听Summary report: Canadian child welfare administrative data knowledge exchange meeting. Public Health Agency of Canada: Ottawa, ON.
Trocm茅, N., Fallon, B.,听Joh-Carnella, N., Denault, K. (2024).听Uncovering physical harm in cases of reported child maltreatment.听Child Protection and Practice.
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Current projects:
Research assistantship with Drs. Nico Trocm茅 and Cindy Blackstock.
Multi-year program evaluation of programs within an Indigenous child well-being agency in Ontario, conducted in partnership with the University of Toronto and the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Supporting the monthly Journal Watch research group within the School of Social Work.听
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Contact:听
kristin.denault [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Email)
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