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## Other Youth Topics

## Breadcrumb

            -  Youth Topics 
            -  American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Youth 
            -           Child Welfare      

# Child Welfare

Tribal child welfare has a unique history. In the past century, thousands of Indian children were forcibly removed from their tribes and placed in boarding schools where forced assimilation left them unable to speak their Native language or participate in their culture. Indian children grew to adulthood without the benefit of their families or tribes. This has contributed to a significant distrust among tribes and states that continues to affect AI/AN families.1 It is estimated that about one half of the Native American population currently alive were not raised by their parents or were not within their tribe due to the historic practices of removal and forced assimilation.2

Today, many tribes have some form of child protection services and have their own tribal codes, court systems, and child welfare programs. In other cases, tribes receive funding and services from states or counties.3 For non-tribal welfare workers, it is important to learn and respect AI/AN cultural practices in order to provide successful child welfare services to this population.

Since the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in 1978, tribes have a greater voice in child welfare cases, and federal standards have been established for placement of Indian children in foster and/or adoptive homes, and handling of child abuse and neglect.4

## Resources

**Child Welfare Information Gateway**A service of the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Gateway provides access to publications, websites, databases, and online learning tools for improving child welfare practice.

**Foster Care Program Development — Recruitment and Retention of Native Resource Families (PDF, 1 page)**This resource discusses the ICWA and placement of AI/AN children in foster care.

**Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)**This Bureau of Indian Affairs resource discusses the ICWA, current events and news, resources, and frequently asked questions around the ICWA.

**National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA)**The NICWA is a national non-profit organization with comprehensive resources on American Indian child welfare focused on tribal capacity and child abuse and neglect.

**Tribal–State Relations in Child Welfare (PDF, 15 pages)**This issue brief highlights the history of child welfare in relation to AI/AN children and families and looks at ways that states, tribes, and related jurisdictions can work together more effectively to meet the goals of the Indian Child Welfare Act.

## References

1 Tribal–State Relations in Child Welfare, 20122 Mooradian, Cross, & Stutzky, 2006; Brave Heart, Chase, Elkins, & Chase, 20113 Tribal–State Relations in Child Welfare, 20124 Child Welfare Information Gateway, n.d.

## Other Resources on this Topic

### Agencies 

                          - Children's Bureau

### Announcements 

                          - Department of Justice Awards More Than $136 Million to Support Youth and Reform the Juvenile Justice System
                          - Free to Learn Initiative
                          - November is American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Heritage Month
                          - OJJDP’s Fiscal Year 2021 Discretionary Awards Total Nearly $344 Million
                          - Report: Child Exploitation in Special Areas and Populations
                          - Report: Federal Policy to Advance Racial, Ethnic, and Tribal Health Equity
                          - Report: Healing Indigenous Lives: Native Youth Town Halls
                          - Report: Missing or Murdered Indigenous Women: New Efforts Are Underway Exist to Improve the Federal Response
                          - Report: Not One More: Findings and Recommendations of the Not Invisible Act Commission
                          - Report: Supporting Tribal Youth Attendance Achievement
                          - Resource: 2019 National Indian Education Study (NIES) Data Companion
                          - Resource: Advances in Supporting Kinship Caregivers – Part 3
                          - Resource: American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Heritage Month Fun Facts
                          - Resource: AmeriCorps Equity Action Plan
                          - Resource: Choose AmeriCorps Public Service Announcement
                          - Resource: Core Youth Outcomes in Youth of Color
                          - Resource: Culturally Responsive Pathways to Peer Programming in Tribal Communities
                          - Resource: Engaging American Indian Children and Families
                          - Resource: Guide for Drafting or Revising Tribal Juvenile Delinquency and Status Offense Laws
                          - Resource: Healthy Native Youth
                          - Resource: Healthy Native Youth Community of Practice Sessions
                          - Resource: Healthy Native Youth Implementation Toolbox
                          - Resource: Healthy Native Youth Stand-Alone Lessons
                          - Resource: MyPlate Recipes for National Native American Heritage Month
                          - Resource: NCFY
                          - Resource: Preventing Suicide Requires a Comprehensive Approach
                          - Resource: Project Red Talent National Network At-Home HIV Tests
                          - Resource: Recruiting and Supporting Resource Families in Tribal Communities
                          - Resource: Seed Sisters 4 Part “Strong Roots” Series, Part 1
                          - Resource: Stories from the Field: The White Earth Nation
                          - Resource: Suicide Provisional Estimates
                          - Resource: Supporting Native Youth into Adulthood
                          - Resource: Talking is Power: Tools for Parents
                          - Resource: The Indian Child Welfare Act: A Primer for Child Welfare Professionals
                          - Resource: Toolkit for Implementing Authentic Youth Engagement Strategies Within State Advisory Groups
                          - Resource: Trauma-Informed Practice Strategies (TIPS) for Supporting Caregivers of Native Youth in Out-of-Home Care
                          - Resource: Trauma-Informed Practice Strategies to Support Indigenous Transition-Aged Youth
                          - Resource: Tribal Customary Adoption
                          - Resource: Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program
                          - Resource: What Does it Mean to be Two-Spirit?
                          - Resource: Working with American Indian Children and Families in Adoption
                          - Resources for American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/AN)
                          - Share with Youth: Indian Boarding School Oral History Project
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                          - Share with Youth: Public Health Associate Program (PHAP)
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                          - Toolkit: Celebrating our Magic: Resources for American Indian/Alaska Native Transgender and TwoSpirit Youth, Their Relatives and Families, and their Healthcare Providers
                          - Webinar Series: Community of Practice with Healthy Native Youth Part 2
                          - Webinar Series: Supporting Gender Diverse Indigenous Youth
                          - Webinar: Tribal Technical Advisory Committee Meeting
                          - Youth Voices Have Moved to YE4C

### Feature Articles 

                          - Just Launched! Redesigned YE4C
                          - Minnesota's Support Systems for Rural Homeless Youth Program
                          - National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month
                          - We R Native. Who R U?  Submit Your Story!

### Programs 

                          - Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB)
                          - John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood

### Publications 

                          - Native American Traditional Justice Practices

### Resources 

                          - Resource: Healthy Native Youth

### Youth Topics 

                          - American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Youth

## Youth Briefs

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Youth who receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) and especially young adults of transition age, should be involved in planning for life after high school as early as possible and no later than age 16. Transition services should stem from the individual youth’s needs and strengths, ensuring that planning takes into account his or her interests, preferences, and desires for the future.

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Research links early leadership with increased self-efficacy and suggests that leadership can help youth to develop decision making and interpersonal skills that support successes in the workforce and adulthood. In addition, young leaders tend to be more involved in their communities, and have lower dropout rates than their peers. Youth leaders also show considerable benefits for their communities, providing valuable insight into the needs and interests of young people

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Statistics reflecting the number of youth suffering from mental health, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders highlight the necessity for schools, families, support staff, and communities to work together to develop targeted, coordinated, and comprehensive transition plans for young people with a history of mental health needs and/or substance abuse.

Young Adults Formerly in Foster Care: Challenges and Solutions
Nearly 30,000 youth aged out of foster care in Fiscal Year 2009, which represents nine percent of the young people involved in the foster care system that year. This transition can be challenging for youth, especially youth who have grown up in the child welfare system.

Coordinating Systems to Support Transition Age Youth with Mental Health Needs
Research has demonstrated that as many as one in five children/youth have a diagnosable mental health disorder. Read about how coordination between public service agencies can improve treatment for these youth.

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Civic engagement has the potential to empower young adults, increase their self-determination, and give them the skills and self-confidence they need to enter the workforce. Read about one youth’s experience in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC).

## Main navigation

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## Latest Resources

### Announcements

Webinar Series: Community of Practice with Healthy Native Youth Part 2

Webinar: Tribal Technical Advisory Committee Meeting

Resource: Supporting Native Youth into Adulthood

### Feature Articles

Just Launched! Redesigned YE4C

National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month

Minnesota's Support Systems for Rural Homeless Youth Program

### Publications

Native American Traditional Justice Practices

### Resources

Resource: Healthy Native Youth

### Youth Topics

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Youth