Improving Child Advocacy Center Service Delivery by Building Relationships with Indigenous Communities

August 2021

• Relationship building with tribal communities may differ significantly from relationship building with non-tribal communities.
• CACs must be aware of the ongoing collective trauma experienced by tribal communities due to US government intervention, and how this has led to disparities in physical, mental, and communal well-being among Indigenous populations.
• Given this history, tribal communities may be initially distrustful of non-tribal CACs attempting to deliver services, even if the CACs have good intentions.
• Strategies CACs can use to build trust and foster authentic, collaborative relationships with tribal communities include not making assumptions, learning by listening, engaging with the tribal community’s elders, recruiting tribal community members to serve in CAC staff and leadership positions, incorporating tribal perspectives into CAC policies and procedures, and establishing regular check-in meetings with tribal partners outside of multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings. 

Culturally Responsive Services

December 2021

• Providing culturally responsive services to tribal communities requires an approach centered on cultural humility, which means being open to learning from others, questioning assumptions and judgments, being aware of potential power imbalances, and educating ourselves about the history, experiences, and cultural norms of the tribal community. Specific steps one might take include the following:
• Gain a deeper understanding about the historical and contemporary experiences of colonization in the community by seeking out knowledge about harm caused by “helpers” in the area. Be aware of how your decisions will impact not just the individual but also the family and community and focus on co-creating solutions with families and tribal members.
• Recognize that norms differ between Western and Indigenous cultures and that Indigenous cultures also differ from one another. Practice cultural humility in understanding and navigating interpersonal interactions between people of different ages, sexes, and family roles.
• Be aware of different tribal communities’ language preservation and preferences. If you serve tribal communities who are connected to their native language, include traditional language support as part of your CAC’s programming. Additionally, be aware of differences in communication styles. 

Tribal Children and Forced Assimilation

September 2022



• The forced assimilation of Indigenous North Americans into Anglo-American culture has been a strategy used by the US government to disrupt tribal communities and divest them of their land.
• During the “Boarding School Era” (1819-1969), tribal children were removed from their families and placed in residential schools, where they were forbidden from practicing their own cultures and endured abusive conditions.
• As the Boarding School Era ended, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Child Welfare League of American developed the Indian Adoption Project (1958-1978), which involved removing tribal children from their families and placing them with non-tribal adoptive families (primarily white and middle-class). These adoptions were initiated through child welfare proceedings that were premised on misunderstandings of and bias against tribal cultures.
• The Indian Child Welfare Act was passed in 1978 to keep tribal families and communities intact and uphold tribal sovereignty in child welfare proceedings. However, tribal children are still significantly overrepresented in the child welfare and foster care systems, due in part to state CPS (Child Protective Services) systems not adhering fully to ICWA, and systemic bias.
• CAC professionals need to be aware of the historical and ongoing forms of forced assimilation that have resulted in intergenerational trauma and fracturing of tribal communities. This knowledge can help CAC professionals approach partnerships with tribes more thoughtfully and explore opportunities for systemic change.

Tribal Sovereignty and the CAC Model

September 2022



• Understanding tribal sovereignty is a key component of providing responsive services to AI/AN families.
• Tribal sovereignty and self-determination are fundamental to the well-being of tribal communities, especially when it comes to child and family services. Tribal assertion of sovereignty in child and family services is in response to generations of US government policies and practices that have removed tribal children from their communities.
• Tribal sovereignty grants tribes a legal status as party to state child protection proceedings for children who are enrolled tribal members or eligible for enrollment. If the children live on tribal lands, the tribes have full jurisdiction.
• To demonstrate respect for tribal sovereignty, and to ensure all tribal children have access to effective MDTs, CACs must enter into meaningful and formalized partnerships with relevant tribes. MOUs should articulate the tribe’s inherent right to determine what is in the best interest of its children and families.

MOUs and Authentic Partnership

September 2022



• Current data from the National Children’s Alliance indicates that accredited CACs are under-serving AI/AN children.
• Possible barriers to AI/AN access to accredited CAC services include the isolated rural locations of tribal land, jurisdictional complexities, and challenges with the accreditation process for tribal CACs. A barrier that is frequently reported is a lack of trust or authentic partnership between tribes and CACs.
• Fewer than one-third of CACs serving tribal communities report having MOUs in place with tribes. Further, NCARC observed that some of the CACs who did report having an MOU in place had not updated the MOU or could not locate it, suggesting that CAC self-reports of MOU implementation do not always represent authentic tribal engagement.
• CACs who have been observed to engage in effective tribal partnerships invite tribal nations to provide addendums to MOUs to articulate information unique to their respective tribal community, revise their MOUs to address inconsistencies in terminology use by the county vs. the tribes, incorporate language in their MOUs on the Indian Child Welfare Act, and make clear reference to tribally enrolled children in the MOU.
• Universal tribal MOU implementation should be the goal of the CAC movement, which requires developing and maintaining a positive collaborative relationship with relevant tribes. From a tribal perspective, a CAC that does not consult with tribal experts or agency personnel may be a threat to tribal sovereignty and thus the well-being of its children, families, and communities.
• The MOU established with tribal partners should be distinct from MOUs established with non-tribal partners and be tailored to the unique needs of specific tribes. If possible, CACs should seek tribal council approval for their MOUs, an indication of true partnership with a tribe.