Developments in Canadian child welfare services during the last 20 years are discussed in this paper. The discussion is based on data gathered from provincial annual reports and public accounts, Statistics Canada publications and Health and Welfare Canada reports on homes for special care, and from the author's earlier study of the child welfare services in the period between 1959-77. First, the author provides an overview of the general population trends in the welfare services that took place during the last 20 years, and indicates some characteristics of specific provincial child welfare services. Then the author discusses and compares the child welfare services in the Canadian provinces and territories with respect to adoption procedures, residential care, staff employment and child welfare expenditures. (MP)