Module 7 Flashcards
What was the primary focus of Indigenous child welfare policy and practices in the late 1960s?
Assimilation and integration efforts
Indigenous children were increasingly placed into non-Indigenous foster or adoptive care, severing their cultural and familial connections.
How are children viewed in Indigenous communities?
As gifts from the Creator and central to family and community structures
Unlike Western cultures, care for children is a collective responsibility involving extended family.
What significant change did Section 88 of the Indian Act introduce?
Allowed provincial laws to apply to status First Nations as long as they did not conflict with Treaty provisions
This marked a shift from exclusive federal control to provincial jurisdiction over child welfare.
What issue arose with the implementation of Section 88?
Jurisdictional uncertainties delayed service provision
There were no fiscal obligations from the federal government to support provincial service delivery.
What role did residential schools play in Indigenous child welfare before the formal delivery of services?
They began to fill child welfare functions due to failures in care
Many children in residential schools came from overcrowded or neglectful homes.
Who coined the term ‘Sixties Scoop’ and what does it refer to?
Patrick Johnston; it refers to the mass apprehension of Indigenous children by the child welfare system from the early 1960s to mid-1980s
The term highlights the excessive numbers of Indigenous children affected.
What were the Indigenous child-in-care statistics in B.C. in 1955?
3443 children in care, with only 29 (less than 1%) of Indigenous ancestry
By 1964, this number grew to 1664, representing 34.2% of children in care.
What percentage of children in care were Indigenous in Saskatchewan during the Sixties Scoop?
60-70%
These statistics highlight the over-representation of Indigenous children in care.
How did the Splatsin band respond to the high number of child apprehensions?
They enacted a by-law for their own child welfare legislation and organized the Indian Child Caravan protest
This was a response to the government’s refusal to recognize their bylaw.
What was the Adopt Indian Métis Program (AIM) launched in 1967?
A program aimed at finding permanent adoptive homes for Indigenous children in foster care
It was also seen as a cost-saving initiative.
What was the response of Métis society to the AIM advertisements?
They objected to the ads as racist propaganda, suggesting that Métis parents were incapable and degrading Aboriginal children
The ads portrayed a negative image of Indigenous families.
What did Indigenous leaders argue regarding the removal of Indigenous children?
It constituted genocide as defined by the UN Convention on Genocide
This includes forcibly transferring children to another group.
What was the outcome of the Kimelman Report released in 1985?
It highlighted cultural bias in child welfare practices and confirmed that cultural genocide was occurring
It led to a moratorium on Indigenous transracial adoptions in Manitoba.
What critical reforms followed the Kimelman Report?
Changes in adoption practices, requirement of family consent, and development of Indigenous child and family service agencies
Cultural considerations regarding Indigenous children in care were also mandated.
What challenges do many Sixties Scoop survivors face upon returning to their communities?
Dealing with trauma and often first contacting addictions services or street agencies
Many survivors have stories of abuse and disconnection from their roots.
What event in 2017 brought renewed attention to the Sixties Scoop?
An $875 million settlement announcement for Sixties Scoop Survivors
This highlighted the ongoing impacts of the Sixties Scoop on Indigenous communities.
What is the Sixties Scoop?
The Sixties Scoop refers to the period when thousands of Indigenous children were taken from their families and placed in non-Indigenous foster homes and adoptive families.
What settlement was announced on October 6, 2017, for Sixties Scoop Survivors?
$875 million settlement, with $50 million earmarked for a healing foundation.
What was the basis of the class action suit filed in Ontario in 2009 regarding the Sixties Scoop?
Claimed that Canada ignored its obligations to Indigenous children, leading to loss of Indigenous identity and treaty rights.
Who was excluded from the $875 million settlement for Sixties Scoop Survivors?
Métis and non-status survivors.
What is the Millennium Scoop?
The continued over-representation of Indigenous children in care, evolving from the Sixties Scoop.
By what percentage did the number of First Nations children in care rise from 1995 to 2001?
71%.
What percentage of foster children in Canada are Aboriginal children according to a 2013 Statistics Canada Report?
48%.
What are the four main factors contributing to the over-representation of Indigenous children in care?
- Role of Apprehensions
- Funding Inequalities
- Role of Jurisdictional Issues
- Lack of Indigenous Control.
What is a significant outcome of apprehension for Indigenous children?
Significant psychological and emotional trauma.
What is the impact of child apprehension on parents, particularly mothers?
Increased rates of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse disorders.
How many child deaths connected to the child welfare system were recorded in Saskatchewan in 2019?
34 deaths, with 29 being First Nations or Métis.
What is the connection between child welfare and identity issues for Indigenous children?
Indigenous children often face racism and negative stereotypes that can lead to harmful behaviors.
What percentage of assault victims in care are Indigenous girls?
Nearly two-thirds.
What is Jordan’s Principle?
A child-first principle ensuring that Indigenous children receive necessary services without jurisdictional disputes delaying care.
What tragic outcome occurred due to the jurisdictional disputes affecting Jordan River Anderson?
Jordan died after being kept in the hospital due to disputes over care costs.
What are the barriers to effective adoption of Jordan’s Principle?
- Need for ratification by provinces and territories
- Restrictive definitions limiting service access.
What is the relationship between child welfare involvement and homelessness among youth?
Youth experiencing homelessness are 193 times more likely to have been involved in the child welfare system.
What does the term ‘social determinant of health’ refer to in the context of Indigenous child welfare?
Child welfare involvement significantly impacts future health and well-being.
Fill in the blank: The over-representation of Indigenous children in care has persisted for over _______ decades.
five.
True or False: The majority of Indigenous children in care are placed with Indigenous families.
False.
What is the impact of systemic funding disparities on Indigenous child welfare agencies?
They receive approximately 25% less funding than mainstream agencies, hindering effective prevention measures.
What is a significant risk factor for Indigenous children in care regarding their well-being?
Higher rates of suicide and mental health issues.
What is the significance of the ruling from the Human Rights Tribunal in 2016?
It addressed discriminatory practices affecting Indigenous children in welfare.
What is Jordan’s Principle?
A child first principle that requires the government of the first point of contact to pay for required medical expenses and resolve any disputes at a later date.
Named after Jordan River Anderson, a First Nations child who died while the federal and provincial governments disputed jurisdiction.
What significant ruling did the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal make in January 2016?
Found Canada guilty of discrimination against First Nations children and ordered the government to cease discriminatory conduct.
The ruling highlighted that discriminatory child welfare funding creates an incentive to bring children into care.
What was the outcome of the human rights complaint filed by the Assembly of First Nations and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society?
The Tribunal ordered the government to implement Jordan’s Principle without delay and provide reparations to First Nations children in care since 2006.
This was due to the harms suffered from discriminatory funding that often led to apprehension instead of preventive services.
What did the Tribunal’s ruling reveal about the government’s compliance report?
The government narrowed the scope of Jordan’s Principle to children with disabilities or short-term illnesses, which was later corrected to apply to all services.
This followed a non-compliance ruling from the Tribunal.
What is Bill C-92?
An Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis Children, Youth and Families that allows Indigenous peoples to develop child welfare policy consistent with their own laws and culture.
It was officially passed in January 2020.
What issues were raised regarding the pan-Indigenous approach of Bill C-92?
The operations and funding structures of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis agencies differ significantly, leading to concerns about over-generalization and inadequate specific funding.
Consultation concerns were also noted, as discussions occurred with government employees instead of Indigenous communities.
What was the AIM program?
A program developed in Saskatchewan in the late 1960s to find long-term adoptive placements for Indigenous children, which was viewed as racist and discriminatory.
AIM stands for adopt ‘Indian-Métis’.
What does Section 88 of the Indian Act refer to?
An addition allowing all laws of general application to apply to status First Nations, opening the way for provincial services to be provided to First Nations.
This led to the delivery of provincial child welfare services, contributing to the Sixties Scoop.
What is the Sixties Scoop?
The period from the 1960s to the 1980s when many Indigenous children were taken into care and placed into non-Indigenous homes, considered a form of cultural genocide.
The term was coined by researcher Patrick Johnston.
What did the Kimelman Report conclude?
Found evidence of ongoing and systematic cultural genocide in Indigenous child welfare practices in Manitoba, leading to significant reforms.
The report was based on a full inquiry into these practices.
What has been a major issue with the federal government’s compliance with the Tribunal ruling?
The government relied on Budget 2016 to demonstrate compliance, which fell short of the mandated requirements and was developed prior to the ruling.
Despite assurances of progress, this budget had not been altered since its initial development.
What challenges remain in fulfilling equitable child welfare funding?
Concerns persist regarding equitable service levels in education and mental health for Indigenous children.
Advocacy continues to ensure these needs are met.
What are the potential benefits of implementing the new Indigenous child welfare legislation?
It could re-affirm First Nations’ laws and jurisdiction and address the ongoing crisis in Indigenous child welfare.
Meaningful discussions and resources are essential for effective implementation.
True or False: The narrowing of Jordan’s Principle has allowed more Indigenous children to qualify for services.
False
The narrowing has made it difficult for many Indigenous children to qualify for necessary services.
What did Cindy Blackstock express concern about regarding the future of Indigenous child welfare?
She remains concerned about equitable levels of services in areas of education and mental health.
Blackstock emphasizes the need for proper childhood services across all domains.
