Interesting discussion on CBC radio this morning...
Issues Pages:
Foster Care Today = Residential Schools of Yesterday?
Wed, 2010-06-16 09:56
#1
Lard Tunderin Jeezus
Foster Care Today = Residential Schools of Yesterday?
Mon, 2010-06-21 01:37
#2
Lard Tunderin Jeezus
The previous link was only good for the day (and can't be edited). Here's the archived program.
Mon, 2010-06-21 09:24
#3
One could ask the same thing of juvenile detention halls.
Mon, 2010-06-21 09:44
#4
I'll have to talk a listen to the program, but there is an important distinction to be made. Some areas have Aboriginal-run child welfare agencies, which is wonderful and some social work programs (like my alma mater - UVic) are making an attempt to attract more FN child welfare social workers. However, in other areas it is often a mess. Often there is a generational cycle occurring, where root causes of problems are not being addressed.
I think there is a difference with the goals and intentions of the residential school system, as one cannot (from my experience) keep a child in care without evidence of abuse unless the parent "voluntarily" agrees to it. The majority of kids in care when I worked in the field were there as a result of these "voluntary" care agreements, where low-income parents with little education were not really given much of a choice. It was definitely easier for the workers.
The outcomes are similar to the residential school system (displacement from culture, abuse, etc.), however if the root cases of poverty, substance abuse, depression etc. were addressed things would change.
Mon, 2010-06-21 10:18
#5
There are also a number of systems in place in various First Nations to give preferential placement with Aboriginal families. The [url=http://www.wrcfs.org/repat/stolennation.htm]60s scoop[/url] was so unbearably traumatic, with impacts that are still being felt today in terms of loss of status and pure alienation, that most First Nation communities have made it a priority to work with various levels of government to avoid such wholesale cultural loss.
However, like any vital and underfunded system, foster care and child protection services run by any level of government are limping along, just trying to keep up with the need.
Mon, 2010-06-21 10:35
#6
Lard Tunderin Jeezus
I think there is a difference with the goals and intentions of the residential school system, as one cannot (from my experience) keep a child in care without evidence of abuse unless the parent "voluntarily" agrees to it. The majority of kids in care when I worked in the field were there as a result of these "voluntary" care agreements, where low-income parents with little education were not really given much of a choice. It was definitely easier for the workers.
I'd be interested in your reaction to listening to the program, Ghislaine. As I mentioned elsewhere, I have a cousin who is currently trying to regain custody of her children. So far as I am aware, there are no issues of addiction or abuse involved. Poverty and the fact of being a single parent seemed to be all the reason CAS required to separate a native mother from her children. Strangely, money exists to support foster parenting for her children that isn't available to help her support them.
Mon, 2010-06-21 14:23
#7
LTJ, you are 100% correct. Poverty is often enough for FN and non-FN parents. That is one of the reasons I left the field, as I could not bear to enforce such things. I a parent could not afford "adequate" housing (as defined by the department, they could get their children taken away. Then, they would turn around and pay foster parents to look after the children.
The definition of "over-crowding" always comes into play, which is problematic in itself as different cultures have different opinions on this. For FN on-reserve families, we all know there is a massive housing shortage. I have been witness to children being taken away because a single mother could not get an on-reserve house as there was no funding available for this and where she was staying was deemed "over-crowded". It was absurd.
Mon, 2010-06-21 15:11
#8
Lard Tunderin Jeezus
Poverty is often enough for FN and non-FN parents.
Far, far more often for FN parents, it seems. At a rate of about 10x as often, based on the percentage caught in the system.