bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Calgary’s Family and Community Support Services’ Social Sustainability Framework and Urban Aboriginal Peoples
Authors: Gauthier Shane R. , Goulet Sharon , Black Katie
Published: June 2020

Family & Community Support Services (FCSS) in Calgary is a joint municipal and provincial funding program. The program is designed to develop, support, and fund preventive social services. FCSS Calgary has a number of benefits and truly makes a difference in the community. At-risk youth and vulnerable senior citizens have avenues for positive community involvement, family violence victims are safer, newcomers are welcomed and can feel at home in Calgary, citizens have access to information about the community and crisis services, and urban Aboriginal people are able to develop leadership skills within the community. FCSS programs and agencies align with at least one of the funding priorities (Strengthening Neighbourhoods and Increasing Social Inclusion, outlined in the Social Sustainability Framework). Increasing Social Inclusion concentrates on five populations: families, children and youth, seniors, immigrants, and Aboriginal people (City of Calgary, Social Sustainability, 2010). The new Social Sustainability Framework helps the community in a number of ways. It guides funding decisions by providing FCSS Calgary with clear and consistent principles. By aligning funded programs with identified objectives and outcomes, it helps FCSS account for and communicate its impact on the community. There is an abundance of statistics that support the need for culturally appropriate programs for urban Aboriginal peoples. Research demonstrates urgency for these programs and the current social landscape of urban Aboriginal children, youth, and families. For example, between 1996 and 2006, the Aboriginal population across Canada grew by 45% to reach close to 1.2 million persons, representing 3.8% of the Canadian population. (Statistics Canada, 2008, Canadian Demographics at a Glance, p. 34).Two examples of urban Aboriginal programs from Metis Calgary Family Services (MCFS) is presented within FCSS’s Sustainability Framework; Native Network, and Little Dancing Buffalo.
“Why Do I Need to Sign it? Issues in Carrying Out Child Assent in School-Based Prevention Research Within a First Nation Community
Authors: Baydala Lola , Letendre Sherry , Ruttan Lia , Worrell Stephanie , Fletcher Fay , Letendre Liz , Schramm Tanja
Published: June 2020

The practice of and procedures for obtaining child assent in research involving children are based in Western conceptions of individual decision-making rights, free from any form of coercion including that of parents. In the context of obtaining assent for children involved in research in an Alberta First Nation, the issue can become more complex given respect for ethical frameworks based in collective decision-making and the responsibility of Elders and families to protect children in interactions with Western institutions. This article explores the results of a focus group held to discuss our experience with child assent in research taking place with a community-initiated and culturally-adapted substance abuse prevention program being taught in the community school. In this case the process of being asked to sign written individual assent in the classroom was perceived as bearing extrinsic risk. Given collective cultural norms, the communities past experiences with the safety of signatures, and the proper roles of Elders and family, the children asked “Why do I have to sign it” when asked to sign their assent for participation in the project. A process that involved gathering child assent with children surrounded by family and community was recommended. Greater researcher and REB responsiveness to the issue of non-malfeasance is needed, in this case, by not asking researchers and community members to act in ways that violate culturally-based ethical norms and protocol all of which are important to community continuity, self-determination, and well-being.
Cannabis Use Among Aboriginal Youth in the Non-Aboriginal Child Protection Services System
Authors: Waechter Randall , Leung Eman , Wekerle Christine , Bennett Marlyn ,   The MAP Research Team
Published: June 2020

The social, cultural and political contexts of vulnerability need to be considered in defining, understanding, and reducing substance abuse among maltreated youth with an Aboriginal background (MacNeil, 2008; Tatz, 1999). Aboriginal cultures tend to incorporate an ideology of collectivism that manifests in shared childrearing responsibilities within aboriginal families and communities (e.g., Dilworth-Anderson & Marshall, 1996). As such, Aboriginal children may identify with multiple and equally important attachment figures, and be more accepting of multiple caring adult guardians who can direct them away from risky behaviour (Christensen & Manson, 2001). We examined the relationship between cannabis use and reported identification with a caseworker among youth-identified Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal adolescents randomly drawn from the active caseload of a large urban non-Aboriginal Child Protection Services (CPS) system. While an Aboriginal-specific child welfare agency exists in this catchment area, youth need to be identified as Aboriginal to be involved in that system and some youth with Aboriginal heritage inevitably end up in non-Aboriginal CPS agencies. There were no significant differences in rates of maltreatment, trauma symptomatology, or overall cannabis use between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth in this study. However, Aboriginal youth who reported a more negative (i.e., low) identification with their caseworker were five times more likely to use cannabis in the past 12 months compared to Aboriginal youth who reported a more positive (i.e., medium-high) identification with their caseworker. These results suggest that having a moderate-to-high positive identification with caseworker may be a protective factor in regard to abstinence from cannabis use among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth in the non-Aboriginal CPS system.
Indigenous Youth Conflict Intervention: The Transformation of Butterflies
Authors: Cormier Paul
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this article is to discuss the impacts of structural violence and its effects on Indigenous Peoples using Aboriginal People – The Indigenous Peoples of Canada, and the Canadian education system as the context for discussion. Due to the root causes of conflict and the nature of violence in Aboriginal contexts being structural, working towards positive peace based on a concept of human security is the best approach to managing Aboriginal youth violence. This approach is conducive to building a culture of peace which is consistent with Indigenous traditions. Alternative methods of formal education should be considered in Aboriginal / Indigenous contexts. These methods should be grounded in the traditions of local Indigenous groups providing a safe space for rediscovery and identity negotiation between tradition and contemporary society. The ability for Indigenous peoples to further their formal education has a profound impact on long term peace building activities. The link between education, poverty, and violence must be of primary consideration when designing peace building activities where Indigenous Peoples are involved.
Co-location of a Government Child Welfare Unit in a Traditional Aboriginal Agency: A Way Forward in Working in Aboriginal Communities
Authors: Kreitzer Linda , Lafrance Jean
Published: June 2020

This article describes the learning that took place in the context of a provincial family enhancement unit within an Aboriginal child welfare agency. Many benefits were identified for the workers, the families, and the relationship to the community. Most notable were the positive effects on non-Aboriginal government staff who were immersed in a more traditional Aboriginal agency. Key learnings include the importance of relationship in child welfare practice, the desire of child welfare workers for greater creativity in their responses to children and families and the need for more supportive leadership in the creation of the conditions necessary for this to happen. Recommendations are made to provincial officials to assist in the creation of such an environment.
Case Study of the Development of the 1998 Tribal State Agreement in Minnesota
Authors: Campbell Evelyn
Published: June 2020

This paper focuses on a recent qualitative study of the 1998 Indian Child Welfare Tribal State Agreement in Minnesota. The purpose of this study was to document the history of how American Indian women initiated legislative changes at the state level to strengthen the Indian Child Welfare law. This paper will identify the process used by these women and an American Indian workgroup and document the workgroup’s recommendations for other states and tribes interested in creating similar agreements.
First Nations Children Count: An Indigenous Envelope for Quantitative Research
Authors: Blackstock Cindy
Published: June 2020

Indigneous peoples have increasingly called for disaggregated data to inform policy and practice and yet there has been very little discourse on how to “Indigenenize” quantitative research. This article provides a synopsis of Indigenous research goals before moving onto describe how quantitative research can be placed in an Indigenous envelope to advance Indigenous child health and welfare policy goals.
Indigenous Wholistic Theory: A Knowledge Set for Practice
Authors: Absolon Kathy
Published: June 2020

In this article, the author, establishes a knowledge set for Indigenous social work practice based on Indigenous wholistic theory. An overall framework using the circle is proposed and introduced followed by a more detailed and elaborated illustration using the four directions. The article identifies the need to articulate Indigenous wholistic theory and does so by employing a wholistic framework of the four directional circle. It then systematically moves around each direction, beginning in the east where a discussion of Spirit and Vision occurs. In the south a discussion of relationships, community and heart emerge. The western direction brings forth a discussion of the spirit of the ancestors and importance of Indigenous knowledge and Indigenous knowledge production. The northern direction articulates ideas surrounding healing and movements and actions that guide practice. Finally, the article begins with a discussion on all four directions together with a final examination of the center fire where all elements interconnect and intersect. Lastly, the article proclaims the existence of Indigenous wholistic theory as a necessary knowledge set for practice.
Inferiorizing Indigenous Communities and Intentional Colonial Poverty
Authors: Koptie Steven W. , Wesley-Esquimaux Cynthia
Published: June 2020

This paper is a reflective topical autobiography of a man seasoned by thirty years of community and crisis work. It has been written to encourage Aboriginal peoples to reflect on their lives and share their lived-experiences with others so that we can work together to break the colonial spell that has held so many hostage to their past.
Quels sont les facteurs favorisant ou inhibant la réussite éducative des élèves autochtones?
Authors: Archambault Hélène
Published: June 2020

Depuis plus de dix ans, de nombreux changements sont survenus au sein des communautés autochtones des Premières nations du Québec en matière d’éducation. L’analyse de la situation scolaire des Autochtones doit tenir compte de certaines composantes qui leur sont propres. Comprendre ces différentes composantes structurant la réussite éducative des élèves autochtones nécessite la présentation de multiples facteurs. Dans cet article, nous présentons les facteurs favorisant et inhibant la réussite scolaire des élèves autochtones.
Bien entendu, cet article ne prétend pas tracer un portrait exhaustif du parcours éducatif des élèves autochtones, ni élaborer sur toutes les dimensions existantes pour chaque nation. Il s’agit simplement de faire le point sur la réalité scolaire des Autochtones afin de mieux connaître et comprendre leur profil scolaire actuel.
Voices of Students: We are Here! We are Ready to Care for the Next Generations! “Gathering & Sharing Wisdom Conference” and the Indigenous Child Welfare Research Network
Authors: Green Jacquie , Taylor Rebecca , Larken Rakiva , Brier Margaret , Good Trevor
Published: June 2020

This paper highlights the voices of four youth presenters at the first "Gathering and Sharing Conference" hosted onCoast Salish Territory, Songhees and Esquimalt, in Victoria, British Columbia. You will be guided through story about our role as leaders, planners, and facilitators for this conference which was convened to provide a central space for Indigenous youth and other community members to share stories about the caring and nurturing of our children, families and communities.
Voice of an Elder: Zhaawonde - Dawn of a New Day
Authors: Shawanda Gordon , Wesley-Esquimaux Cynthia
Published: June 2020

This paper evolved, maybe ‘was birthed’ is an even better term given the circumstances, out of an engagement process that brought Gordon Shawanda and several university students together over an academic year. Gordon was invited to attend my Aboriginal Spirituality class at the University of Toronto in September 2009. He liked being there so much that he came each week, sitting through lectures, reading the materials, and participating with unerring grace in the many discussions over the entire year. We were all touched by his presence, his quiet dignity, and his deep interest in our academic learning and sharing experience. Gordon embodies what modern education is trying to get right, the bringing together of theory and practice, and the unveiling of the kind of humanity that can bring Indigenous Knowledge alive for all young people everywhere. Gordon was inspired by their enthusiastic receiving of his words to write down his story. This paper is his first real attempt to express the pain and healing he has experienced over his adulthood. I am honoured and humbled to (gently) edit this work for publication. This is a story that comes directly from the heart and soul of one man, but is the lived experience of many of our people who attended Indian Residential Schools in Canada. It is organized into four parts.
“Home and Native Land”: Aboriginal Young Women and Homelessness in the City
Authors: Ruttan Lia , LaBoucane-Benson Patti , Munro Brenda
Published: June 2020

The homelessness of Aboriginal young women takes place in the historical context of lost homes and lost homelands. This article focuses on homeless Aboriginal women in the city of Edmonton and explores their perception of this experience. Involving nine young women who were interviewed over a two year period, researchers further investigated the historical profiles of their families and their attempts to transition out of homelessness. Part of a larger study of the homeless experience of eighteen girls and young women in Edmonton, this article breaks out data that focuses on the experience of Aboriginal participants and contextualizes their discourse in light of enforced home loss in western Canada. While their experience overlaps with the non-Aboriginal participants in our study we also find significant cultural and historically located differences.
Symbols and Strategies: Acts of Métis Resistance - Using the List of Rights as a Framework for the Reclamation of Indigenous Child Welfare in British Columbia and Canada
Authors: Thomas Daleen Adele
Published: June 2020

This article engages the reader in comparing the Métis List of Rights, originally authored by Louis Riel, with the current state of Indigenous child welfare in British Columbia and Canada. The relationship between children’s resiliency and cultural resiliency is explored. Using a critical lens, a framework defining the progression of social regulation is presented. This paper begins by setting out the framework with its accompanying nine aspects: profit, competition, self-interest, justice, rights, duties, love, compassion and devotion. The discussion acknowledges children as sacred which allows us to move beyond conservative and socialist ideals. Then there is a discussion on the aspects of the Métis List of Rights with comments respecting the symbolic and literal application of the aspects to reclaiming Indigenous child welfare. Finally the article ends with recommendations for holistic pathway for reform.
Why is Adoption Like a First Nations’ Feast?: Lax Kw’alaam Indigenizing Adoptions in Child Welfare
Authors: Bertsch Maria , Bidgood Bruce A.
Published: June 2020

Have you ever wondered about how to be culturally-sensitive in adoption approaches with Aboriginal people? Have you wanted ideas on how to more effectively engage First Nations adoptive-parents? Did you consider how leadership for social workers could assist in adoption outcomes for Aboriginal children? This article chronicles a study of the adoption experiences of the members of a First Nations community in Northwestern British Columbia, Canada. The results indicated that despite an overwhelmingly negative history with the adoptions and child protection system, many First Nations people are not only open to adoption but perceive it as an integral part of their traditional parenting practices. There is an overarching desire to have children who have been previously adopted outside the community returned to their hereditary lands. A series of recommendations for a more culturally-sensitive adoption practice were identified including: 1) improved information, 2) on-going community-government consultation, 3) cultural preservation, 4) social work training, and 5) government policy changes. The article will encourage curiosity regarding social work leadership and how this framework can be instrumental when working with Aboriginal culture. The implications of the study for the role of social workers as leaders in the creation of a new, culturally-sensitive adoption practice are discussed.
Islands of Safety: Restoring Dignity in Violence-Prevention Work with Indigenous Families
Authors: Richardson Cathy , Wade Allan
Published: June 2020

Islands of Safety is a model and process designed in conjunction with Métis Community Services in Victoria, B.C. Based on a focus of human dignity and resistance, safety knowledges of women and Indigenous peoples, Islands of Safety was created by Métis family therapist Cathy Richardson and developer of response-based therapy Allan Wade. The initial stages of project design, pilot project implementation were funded by the Law Foundation of B.C. Resembling family group conferencing on the surface but rooted in different philosophical terrain, the Islands of Safety process is based on the understanding that people resist violence and prefer respect.
Using a Narrative Approach to Understanding the Frontline Practices and Experiences of Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Child Protection Workers
Authors: Pooyak Sherri , Gomez Yvonne
Published: June 2020

This article reflects on the use of narrative analysis in understanding the experiences of two women, one Aboriginal and the other non-Aboriginal, each practicing in child welfare environments opposite of their cultural identities and worldviews.
Irihapeti Ramsden: The Public Narrative on Cultural Safety
Authors: Koptie Steve
Published: June 2020

The magnificent voices of Indigenous women who want to restore, preserve and extend the beauty of Indigenous culture must be relocated and honoured as the last best hope of escaping the tragic impacts of colonization. This paper started as an exploration of New Zealand Indigenous scholar Irihapeti Ramsden’s extraordinary efforts to imbed Cultural Safety as a foundation for nursing training and unity of purpose for all community helpers to alter the trajectory of colonization and its tragic impacts on Indigenous peoples. It morphed into a celebration of the powerful ‘reflective topical auto-biographies’ or meta-narratives of adaptability and resilience all Indigenous people need to share as we recover and heal from intergenerational traumas inflicted in the name of civilization and racial supremacy. Transformative change starts with self discovery as Irihapeti Ramsden taught her student nurses. Women and children are the most poignant victims of that foolish colonial project and their survival stories can lead all humanity back to respectful and loving sustainability. Indigenous women’s resilience stories need a special space in academic literature. Their enduring women-spirit has always guided this First Nations to be better first as an Indigenous man and more importantly as a human being. Irihapeti Ramsden’s journey to put Cultural Safety out there in mainstream academia began with a powerful reflective inner healing journey. Her life and work was a remarkable gift to all. The title of this paper derives from Section Three of her PhD thesis. It must be shared throughout all the worlds’ spaces in need of decolonization. Her ultimately political meta-narrative to alter ignorance and arrogance within education, government and society is one all Indigenous writers and scholars must study and articulate across often culturally unsafe places and spaces within Canada’s colleges and universities.
Culturally Restorative Child Welfare Practice - A Special Emphasis on Cultural Attachment Theory
Authors: Simard Estelle
Published: June 2020

A research project was implemented through the use of qualitative secondary data analysis to describe a theory of culturally restorative child welfare practice with the application of cultural attachment theory. The research documented 20 years of service practice that promoted Anisinaabe cultural identity and cultural attachment strategies, by fostering the natural cultural resiliencies that exist within the Anishaabe nation. The research brings a suggested methodology to child welfare services for First Nation children the greater the application of cultural attachment strategies the greater the response to cultural restoration processes within a First Nation community.
In Consideration of the Needs of Caregivers: Grandparenting Experiences in Manitoba First Nation Communities
Authors: Eni Rachel , Harvey Carol D.H. , Phillips-Beck Wanda
Published: June 2020

Grandparents are valued in traditional and contemporary Aboriginal societies. In this paper we summarize traditional knowledge from Manitoba Aboriginal experiences, and we provide data from contemporary on-reserve grandmothers. Data for this study were collected in 2007 in 16 First nations Manitoba communities. Open-ended semi-structured in-person interviews were conducted in maternal-child centers that provide programs for developmental health for children and their parents (prenatal to age 6). Of the 100 people interviewed, ten of those were grandmothers, and their stories are analyzed in this paper. Results showed that grandmothers provided cultural transmission to subsequent generations, ensured child safety, provided acceptance and care for grandchildren, were challenged by inadequate and unsafe housing and communities, had difficulty proving educational supports for grandchildren, were supported by a network of kin, found community support inconsistent, needed to make a living, and needed more health supports. Implications for policy and research are given at the end of the paper.
Knowledge Translation in a Community-Based Study of the Relations Among Violence Exposure, Post-traumatic Stress and Alcohol Misuse in Mi’kmaq Youth
Authors: Zahradnik Marc , Stewart Sherry , Stevens Doreen , Wekerle Christine
Published: June 2020

In 2004, our research group was invited to continue a research partnership with a Nova Scotian Mi’kmaq community that was concerned about the causes of and interventions for adolescent alcohol misuse in their community. While our previous collaborative research focused on reducing adolescent alcohol misuse by targeting motivations for drinking that were personality specific (see Mushquash, Comeau, & Stweart, 2007), the more recent collaboration sought to investigate the possible relationship between exposure to violence, post-traumatic stress, and alcohol misuse. The present paper outlines the steps involved in gaining community consent, the plan for results sharing, the tangible benefits to the community that have been documented, and future directions and lessons learned. The paper will demonstrate how the principles of Knowledge Translation (CIHR, 2006) provide a framework for this process.
Towards Transformational Research for and with Indigenous Communities: The New British Columbia Indigenous Child Welfare Research Network
Authors: de Finney Sandrina , Green Jacquie , Brown Leslie
Published: June 2020

This article documents the development of the newly launched Indigenous Child Welfare Research Network in British Columbia. This Network is a provincial association of researchers, service providers, community members and policy makers with an interest in using Indigenous research in the transformation of child and family services. Rooted in a vision for healing and the inclusion of diverse voices, Network Initiatives seek to reclaim Indigenous ways of knowing and doing and reposition them at the core of child and family wellness initiatives. The Network provides a space for critical dialogue about Indigenous research, as well as opportunities for researched-related training, knowledge transmission and resource sharing.
Utilization of the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect in First Nations Child Welfare Agencies in Ontario
Authors: Tonmyr Lil , Jack Susan , Brooks Sandy , Kennedy Betty , Dudding Peter
Published: June 2020

The goals of this study are: to examine the awareness and utilization of the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS) and the Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (OIS) by First Nations child welfare decision-makers in the child welfare policy development process in the Province of Ontario and; to identify ways of making the CIS/OIS more useful to First Nations decision makers. No previous study has focused on assessing the inﬂuence and impact that the CIS/OIS data have on policy development with this speciﬁc population.
One Indigenous Academic’s Evolution: A Personal Narrative of Native Health Research and Competing Ways of Knowing
Authors: Stewart Suzanne L.
Published: June 2020

Indigenous health research should reﬂect the needs and beneﬁts of the participants and their community as well as academic and practitioner interests. The research relationship can be viewed as co-constructed by researchers, participants, and communities, but this nature often goes unrecognized because it is conﬁned by the limits of Western epistemology. Dominant Western knowledge systems assume an objective reality or truth that does not support multiple or subjective realities, especially knowledge in which culture or context is important, such as in Indigenous ways of knowing. Alternatives and critiques of the current academic system of research could come from Native conceptualizations and philosophies, such as Indigenous ways of knowing and Indigenous protocols, which are increasingly becoming more prominent both Native and non-Native societies. This paper contains a narrative account by an Indigenous researcher of her personal experience of the signiﬁcant events of her doctoral research, which examined the narratives of Native Canadian counselors’ understanding of traditional and contemporary mental health and healing. As a result of this narrative, it is understood that research with Indigenous communities requires a different paradigm than has been historically offered by academic researchers. Research methodologies employed in Native contexts must come from Indigenous values and philosophies for a number of important reasons and with consequences that impact both the practice of research itself and the general validity of research results. In conclusion, Indigenous ways of knowing can form a new basis for understanding contemporary health research with Indigenous peoples and contribute to the evolution of Indigenous academics and research methodologies in both Western academic and Native community contexts.
Metaphorical Reﬂections on the Colonial Circus of the Drunken Indian and the Kidney Machine
Authors: Koptie Steven , Wesley-Esquimaux Cynthia
Published: June 2020

This paper represents the need for First Nations community workers to share their narratives of experience and wisdom for academic review. A growing number of mature Indigenous social service workers are returning to Canada’s learning centers where they are articulating observations and insights to Indigenous experience in colonial Canada. It is imperative that post-colonial academic literature include these contributions. True reconciliation between Canada and First Peoples is only possible if those stories of resilience are reﬂected back from the experience of historic trauma and unresolved intergenerational suffering.
Finding Healing and Balance in Learning and Teaching at the First Nations University of Canada
Authors: Faith Erika
Published: June 2020

In this personal memoir of three years teaching at the First Nations University of Canada, the author reﬂects on what she learned, in applying internally and externally, an Aboriginal model of social work education. As a person of non-Aboriginal ancestry, she explores how her own struggle with the imbalances inherent in academia spurred her search in grounding her teaching in holism, healing, reciprocal relationships, empowerment, liberation, and pleasure, and how the integration of these practices strengthened her relationships with her own spirit, but also with ‘all my relations’.
Seeking “Mamatowisowin” to Create an Engaging Social Policy Class for Aboriginal Students
Authors: Faith Erika
Published: June 2020

This article recounts the author’s personal and professional journey of developing a social policy social work course at the First Nations University of Canada. With no social policy text designed for and about Aboriginal peoples, and very few articles written on social policy issues in Aboriginal communities, the author was challenged to create content, pedagogy, and assignment structures that reﬂected the cultures of her students who come primarily from the plains and woodlands reserve communities of Saskatchewan. By consulting with Elders, colleagues, and students, as well as by paying attention to her own internal sense of stress or delight, she progressively modiﬁed the class over three years, releasing all that was‘dry and detached’ while building on all that was fun, relevant and exciting. Along the way, the author was introduced to the néhiyawéwin (Cree) word mamatowisowin, which refers to a state of spiritual attunement and divine inspiration. I realized that, perhaps more than head knowledge, it was mamatowisowin that she most needed in order to create a class that optimally served her students and the university’s vision of a ‘bicultural education’ that is equally grounded in both European and Indigenous knowledge systems.
Aboriginal Fathers Support Groups: Bridging the Gap between Displacement and Family Balance
Authors: Manahan Candice , Ball Jessica
Published: June 2020

The Aboriginal Fathers Project set out to explore the roles of fathers in British Columbia’s Aboriginal families. The project aimed to investigate the ways community programs could support fathers’ involvement with their children, and increase their participation in family-centered programs. This article brieﬂy describes the project and outlines a few of the major ﬁndings from the research. This article discusses ﬁndings from the project which highlight the impact of colonialism and assimilation processes on the roles of Aboriginal fathers. The suggestion to develop father-speciﬁc support groups and the use of traditional practices and spirituality in the support groups is discussed.
Exploring the Experiences of an Elder, a Psychologist and a Psychiatrist: How can Traditional Practices and Healers Complement Existing Practices in Mental Health?
Authors: Crowe-Salazar Noela
Published: June 2020

This qualitative research study asked the question: how can traditional practices and healers complement existing practices in mental health? Three interviews were conducted with the intention to explore the experiences of people who have expertise in the areas of traditional healing and mental health. Interviews were held with an Elder, a Psychologist and a Psychiatrist. Analysis of the interviews highlighted the different perspectives of each worldview, which is thoroughly discussed in the literature. In addition common themes to practice were identiﬁed and this is an area that is not often highlighted in the literature. The interviews revealed each perspective is strongly grounded in a desire and intention to help people and is then built upon via training. To move forward it is essential to begin from commonalties in how each perspective works to help people, in addition to a solid understanding of the two perspectives and the causes for the current health and mental health of First Nations and Métis.
Incidence of Maltreatment of Aboriginal Children Reported to Youth Protection in Quebec: Intercultural Comparisons
Authors: Tourigny Marc , Domond Pascale , Trocmé Nico , Sioui Bruno , Baril Karine
Published: June 2020

The purpose of the study is to examine reported cases of maltreatment in Aboriginal children and compare them with cases involving non-Aboriginal children based on a sample of such cases reported to Youth Protection services in Quebec. Results indicate that, in Quebec, cases involving Aboriginal children compared with cases for non-Aboriginal children are characterized by living situations such as subsidized housing, substance abuse in parents, an increased number of children in the family, the fact that a case reported was a ‘social emergency’and that a case was less reported by the mother. Intervention plans with Aboriginal families and suggestions for future research are discussed.
An Alcohol Abuse Early Intervention Approach with Mi’kmaq Adolescents
Authors: Mushquash Christopher J. , Comeau M. Nancy , Stewart Sherry H.
Published: June 2020

This paper describes the development of and pilot results for an alcohol abuse early intervention program targeting at-risk Mi’kmaq youth conducted in partnership with the communities in which these youth live and the schools which they attend. This intervention was based on a previously-established, successful psychoeducational and cognitive-behavioral approach for at-risk adolescent drinkers from the majority culture that focuses on differentpersonality pathways to alcohol abuse in youth (Conrod, Stewart, Comeau, & MacLean, 2006). Through partnership and collaboration with two Mi’kmaq communities, the original intervention was adapted to be culturally appropriate for Mi’kmaq youth. The culturally-adapted intervention included traditional Mi’kmaq knowledge and teachings in order to make the program as meaningful and relevant as possible in the partner communities (Comeau et al., 2005). The pilot results were encouraging. Compared to pre-intervention, students who participated in the intervention drank less, engaged in less binge-drinking episodes (i.e., 5 drinks or more/occasion), had fewer alcoholrelated problems, and were more likely to abstain from alcohol use. Moreover, students who participated in the intervention also reduced their marijuana use at four-month post-intervention, even though the intervention was speciﬁcally designed to target alcohol misuse. No such signiﬁcant changes were observed in a non-random control group of eligible students who did not participate in the intervention. Future research should determine if this intervention is effective for at-risk youth in other First Nations communities across Canada, and whether the promising, but preliminary results with marijuana mean that the beneﬁts of the intervention might extend to adolescents’ use of substances other than alcohol.
Is Attachment Theory Consistent with Aboriginal Parenting Realities?
Authors: Neckoway Raymond , Brownlee Keith , Castellan Bruno
Published: June 2020

Attachment theory has become one of the most inﬂuential models guiding parent-child relationships in programs of prevention, treatment, and education, including programs for Aboriginal parents. However, whether the model can be reliably applied when working with Aboriginal peoples has not yet been established. Studies on attachment security conducted with different cultural groups provide a means of comparing naturally occurring differences in parenting practices and socio-emotional environments of children. These studies report inconsistencies of attachment security across cultures and suggest that consideration should be given to cultural differences when applying attachment theory across cultures. In this article, we analyse the correspondence between attachment theory and descriptions of Aboriginal parenting and question the relevance of attachment theory to Aboriginal parents who do not adhere to the mother-infant dyad as the sole contributor to the child’s sense of security.
Reﬂections of a Mi’kmaq social worker on a quarter of a century work in First Nations child welfare
Authors: MacDonald Nancy , MacDonald Judy
Published: June 2020

First Nations people would argue that the ‘Sixties Scoop’ of removing their children from their homes and culture never ended. First Nations children entering ‘care’ of child welfare agencies has increased signiﬁcantly since the 1960s and 1970s. Storying the journey of a Mi’kmaq social worker working with a First Nations child, aspects of the child welfare system will be theoretically and historically located and critiqued from a social justice perspective. Schools of Social Work will be challenged to provide an education inclusive of decolonization, understanding the historical limitations of the child welfare system and its impact upon First Nations peoples.
Identity lost and found: Lessons from the sixties scoop
Authors: Sinclair Raven
Published: June 2020

The “Sixties Scoop” describes a period in Aboriginal history in Canada in which thousands of Aboriginal children were removed from birth families and placed in non-Aboriginal environments. Despite literature that indicates adoption breakdown rates of 85-95%, recent research with adults adopted as children indicates that some adoptees have found solace through reacculturating to their birth culture and contextualizing their adoptions within colonial history. This article explores the history of Aboriginal adoption in Canada and examines some of the issues of transracial adoption through the lens of psychology theories to aid understanding of identity conﬂicts facing Aboriginal adoptees. The article concludes with recommendations towards a paradigm shift in adoption policy as it pertains to Aboriginal children.
Indigenous knowledge and research: The míkiwáhp as a symbol for reclaiming our knowledge and ways of knowing
Authors: Hart Michael
Published: June 2020

This paper is based on the unique learning that the author obtained from various Cree and Anishinaabe Elders regarding Indigenous knowledge. The author’s experience with learning about Indigenous Knowledge is expressed through a review of the literature conducted on Indigenous knowledge and through symbolic imagery using the míkiwáhp (or “lodge”). Included is a discussion on appropriate considerations to utilizing Indigenous knowledge and its development in the context of colonial oppression over Indigenous peoples.
A way of life: Indigenous perspectives on anti oppressive living
Authors: Thomas Robina , Green Jacquie
Published: June 2020

The focus of this article is on the key elements of anti oppressive practices as examined by two Indigenous women who practice and teach anti-oppressive ways. Anti oppressive living is characterized as a “Way of Life” that values the sacred and traditional teachings of various Indigenous cultures. The medicine wheel is discussed and highlighted as an effective teaching tool to examine antioppressive ways of living, practicing and perspectives.
Here be dragons! Reconciling Indigenous and Western knowledge to improve Aboriginal child welfare
Authors: LaFrance Jean , Bastien Betty
Published: June 2020

The authors discuss the factors regarding the reconciliation movement in reconciling Indigenous and Western Knowledge to improve child welfare practice with respect to Aboriginal peoples. In particular, a current initiative undertaken in collaboration with various First Nation communities in Alberta involved with the “Making Our Hearts Sing” Initiative is highlighted. This initiative aimed to build on collaboration among child welfare stakeholders and Aboriginal communities to examine issues relating to child welfare that would be more in keeping with traditional Aboriginal worldviews that could, at the same time, contribute to reconciliation, healing and increased community capacity.
(A Literature Review) Re-examining issues behind the loss of family and cultural and the impact on Aboriginal youth suicide rates
Authors: Morris Kristine
Published: June 2020

This paper examines child welfare issues in relation to the impact of cultural loss and/or lack of cultural identity and its correlation with suicide risk among young Aboriginal persons.
First Nations Women Workers' Speak, Write and Research Back: Child Welfare and Decolonizing Stories
Authors: Reid Michelle
Published: June 2020

This research is a similar study to Gold’s (1998) study on the promotion of physical and mental health of mainstream female social workers in child welfare. Six First Nations women Child and Family Service (CFS) Social Workers (FNWCFSSW’s) who work in First Nations agencies gathered with me to share individual and collective stories about our CFS experiences. First Nations women and I discussed the impacts of our work on our holistic health, how we coped with the work, and strategies to deal with the issues that we face. This study outlines the research process that we engaged in, and, essentially weaves together the challenges, resilience, innovations, and unique experiences of First Nations women CFS Social Workers in a First Nations setting under a delegated authority model. As a result of these discussions five major themes were identified. The five themes that emerged from this study include the stress of dual accountability, the stresses of unrealistic expectations and multiple roles, the emotional costs and benefits of the intensity of the relationships, the fact that meaningful work gives strength and how the women coped and maintained their holistic health. This study reveals the important need for future participatory research to be conducted with FNWCFSSW and First Nations peoples. Ultimately, this paper speaks to the importance of changing the nature of along-term colonial relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples within the child welfare system and in dominant mainstream research processes.
Appyling Maslow's Hierarchy Theory
Authors: Bennett Marlyn , Shangreaux Corbin
Published: June 2020

This paper evolved from the outcome of a feedback meeting held between the principle researchers of Cycle II of the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS), the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and a number of representatives of the First Nations Child and Family Service Agencies (FNCFS Agencies) which participated in Cycle II of the CIS (CIS-2003) and numerous Research Assistants tasked with collecting information from the FNCFS Agencies. The authors present a profile of the historical and contemporary experience of Aboriginal children and families who come into contact with the child welfare system and include a discussion on some of the findings from two analyses that have been conducted on the data from the 1998 Canadian Incident Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS-1998). An overview of the challenges as well as the positive aspects of the study from the perspectives of the FNCFS Agencies and the Research Assistances is included along with an examination as to why research may not figure prominently among the service priorities of FNCFS Agencies. The strengths of challenges of participating in CIS-2003 provide rich insight into the perspectives of the Research Assistants and FNCFS Agencies who participated in this national study. The paper concludes with recommendations by the FNCFS Agencies and the Research Assistants on how to improve the data collection process with FNCFS Agencies for future Cycles of the Canadian Incident Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect.
A Review of the Literature on the Benefits and Drawbacks of Participatory Action Research
Authors: Bennett Marlyn
Published: June 2020

This paper reviews Participatory Action Research as a methodology. It maps the origins of Participatory Action Research (PAR) and discusses the benefits and challenges that have been identified by other researchers in utilizing PAR approaches in conducting research.
Culturally Sensitive Approaches to Research on Child Development and Family Practices in First Peoples Communities
Authors: McShane Kelly E. , Hastings Paul D.
Published: June 2020

This paper focuses on highlighting some of the concerns that need to be addressed in conducting psychological research with First Peoples children and families. The extensive literature on healthy child development and family practices in Caucasian families is contrasted with the limited perspective on First Peoples families. We suggest that this is, in part, due to an unnecessary focus on problem behaviours of children from First Peoples communities. We contend that it is imperative for developmental psychologists to adopt a new perspective, by acknowledging the strengths and competencies of First Peoples families, and using more culturally-sensitive approaches to working with First Peoples.
Talking about the Aboriginal Community: Child Protection Practitioners’ Views
Authors: Walmsley Christopher
Published: June 2020

Child protection practitioners view Aboriginal communities as victim, adversary, participant, partner, and protector of children. These representations of communities are derived from interview data with 19 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal child protection social workers in British Columbia, Canada. The representations of the community are informed by the practitioner’s geographic relationship to the community and the length of community residency (including whether it’s the practitioner’s community of origin). Practitioners view communities as a victim or adversary when no relationship of trust exists with the community. Practitioners view communities having a participative or partnership role in child protection when trust has developed. When communities take full responsibility for children’s welfare, practitioners view the community as the protector of children. No clear association was found between the different representations of the community and the practitioner’s culture or organizational auspices. The practitioner’s own vision of practice is believed to signiﬁcantly inﬂuence the relationship that develops with the community.