Chapter 13 (strong helpers) Caring for Families, Caring for Children

quiz 3

Who Said, “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child”?​

• The principle of "the best interests of the child" in child welfare is based on a Eurocentric worldview and may not align with the needs of diverse populations, particularly Indigenous communities​

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• Indigenous worldviews emphasize the involvement of the entire community in raising children, as seen in the saying "it takes a village to raise a child"​

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• Indigenous communities value family, extended support systems, and respect for children and Elders​

Who Said, “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child”? (p. 2)

• Birth Alerts​ (if Indigenous moms had a legal record and the mom gets pregnant, the informations gets shared with medical staff and she gets monitored. child services has the right to step in if “issues” arise)

• Structural barriers​

• Meenoostahtan Minisiwin- “Pathways to Peace’’ ​

“focuses on promoting family’s strengths and capacities while exploring the best interests of children from a family and community perspective, away from the courts”

The Story of Andrea and Charlene

• The story of Charlene and her daughter Andrea exemplifies a positive example of a White woman mothering an Indigenous child​

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• Andrea had a sense of not fully belonging in either community but appreciated being different and receiving positive attention for her Indigenous identity​

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• Charlene and Andrea emphasize the importance of children knowing their roots and cultural affiliation, and the need for open communication and support in adoption arrangements​

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Eliminating the Dichotomy of the Child vs. the Family​

• State authority over children in the area of child welfare for Indigenous and African/Caribbean peoples needs to be revisited to prevent harm to communities, families, and children​

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• Adoption policies that promote confidentiality and cutting ties to birth families should be challenged, as openness in adoption can positively impact children's identity formation​

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• Mainstream child welfare tends to individualize problems and isolate families, while Indigenous ways of helping focus on widening the circle of care, recognizing the importance of extended family and community support​

Eliminating the Dichotomy of the Child vs. the Family​ (p. 2)

• Mainstream society personalizes and individualizes problems. ​

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• In Aboriginal way of helping- there is a widening of the circle of care for families and children. ​

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• The community is opened up to care for children. ​

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• People need time to change. Give people some space and time – another teaching from Indigenous people.

Customary Law and Care​

• Indigenous Peoples had their own ways of caring for children prior to colonization, and efforts are being made to bring back these Indigenous values​

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• Alternatives to court processes, such as child protection mediation, kinship care, and family group conferencing, are believed to originate within Indigenous worldviews and have proven effective​

• Participants in alternative programs express high levels of satisfaction, stating that their voices are heard, communication is clear, and a safe environment is provided for families​

Kinship Structures and Family Group Conferencing

• Family Group Conferences (FGCs) originated in New Zealand and have been effective in involving families in decision-making, promoting kinship care, and adopting a less intrusive approach to child protection​

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• FGCs have been implemented in other Western countries, including Canada, but it is important to differentiate them from mainstream family case conferencing and give credit to Indigenous origins​

Child Welfare Community Council​

• The Child Welfare Community Council (CWCC) by Aboriginal Legal Services follows an alternative dispute resolution process under the Child and Family Services Act of Ontario​

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• The CWCC includes a Talking Circle process to prevent child apprehension and Council hearings after the child has been apprehended​

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• The Council hearings can result in the child being returned home, increased access for the family, or the child becoming a Crown ward without parental access; the focus is on the child's best interests and safety​

Bill C-92​

• The Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families became law in 2019 and came into force in 2020, aiming to shift Indigenous child welfare to Indigenous-operated organizations and communities​

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• Critiques of the Act highlight the lack of dedicated funding attached to it, which is seen as a false promise and a serious problem​
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• Instead of a court system, the Eagle Women Tribunal, composed of grandmothers and aunties handle child welfare custody disputes and appeals, supporting families and caring for children​

andrea and charlene

charlene is a social worker working in a community, and was in a relationship with andrea’s uncle. andrea was 18 months old and her mom was unable to take care of her. her mother asked charlene to take care of andrea, charlene is a white social worker. the elder decided that was best for andrea. andrea thought it was important for andrea to know her heritage.