First Peoples Child & Family Review
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“First Nations Women Workers' Speak, Write and Research Back: Child Welfare and Decolonizing Stories”
No full textThis 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
“Strengthening the Spirit”
No full textMultisystemic Therapy [MSR] is an evidence based treatment for youth with severe psychosocial and behavioral problems. Discussed are the personal experiences of a Native American student in social work who is engaged in pursuing information on MST for Native youth and communities. Although there is still promise of its efficacy, there are questions on MST’s effectiveness, replicability, and ease of implementation as a program. There is little quantitative and qualitative information to date to support its generalizability across race- no outcome results for Native participants have been disseminated. With goals of strengthening Native families and communities, discussion includes how MST can be adapted for use and programs concerns that should be considered
Culturally Sensitive Approaches to Research on Child Development and Family Practices in First Peoples Communities
No full textThis 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
No full textChild protection practitioners view Aboriginal communities as victim, adversary, participant, partner, and protector of children. These representations ofcommunities are derived from interview data with 19 Aboriginal and nonAboriginal 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
A Review of the Literature on the Benefits and Drawbacks of Participatory Action Research
No full textThis 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
Effects of an Aboriginal Cultural Enrichment Program on Adolescent Mothers’ Self-Perceptions
No full textThis study explored the effects of an Aboriginal cultural enrichment initiative on the self-concept of ten pregnant or parenting adolescent women, all but one of whom were of Aboriginal descent. The cultural enrichment activities were integrated into a program of support for adolescent mothers. Questionnaires were administered to the participants at the beginning and after six weeks of participating in the cultural enrichment component of the program. The Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents (Harter, 1988) was used to measure global self-worth and self-perception across eight domains. Overall cultural identity, cultural identity achievement, cultural behaviours and sense of affirmation and belonging were measured using the 20 item Multigroup Ethnic Identity Questionnaire (Phinney, 1998b). Individual audio-taped interviews were also undertaken following completion of the post-tests. After six weeks of the cultural enrichment program, the participants’ cultural identity achievement scores increased significantly, and participants who had achieved a strong cultural identity also had higher levels of global selfworth. Average self concept became more positive in the specific domains of job competence and behavioural conduct. In the interviews, participants expressed positive reactions to the cultural component of the program, and attributed positive personal changes to the cultural experiences it provided. The results support the conclusion that it is highly beneficial to incorporate a cultural component into services for Aboriginal youth
Aboriginal Social Work Education in Canada: Decolonizing Pedagogy for the Seventh Generation
No full textAboriginal social work is a relatively new field in the human services, emerging out of the Aboriginal social movement of the 1970s and evolving in response to the need for social work that is sociologically relevant to Aboriginal people. Aboriginal social work education incorporates Aboriginal history and is premised upon traditional sacred epistemology in order to train both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal social workers who can understand and meet the needs of Aboriginal people. The deficiencies of contemporary cross-cultural approaches and anti-oppressive social work education are highlighted as a means to emphasize the importance of socialwork education premised upon relevant history and worldview. The values and responsibilities that derive from Aboriginal worldview as the foundation for Aboriginal social work education are discussed in terms of the tasks that are impliedfor the educator and student of Aboriginal social work. Such tasks include self-healing, decolonization, role modeling, developing critical consciousness, and social and political advocacy. Aboriginal social work education, a decolonizing pedagogy directed to mitigating and redressing the harm of colonization at the practice level, is a contemporary cultural imperative
Are They Really Neglected? A Look at Worker Perceptions of Neglect Through the Eyes of a National Data System
No full textA follow up to a two-year study of abuse and neglect of American Indian children looks at differences in perceptions of neglect of American Indian children found in the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS). Findings from an analysis of 17,000 cases of neglect of white or American Indian children were that the neglect of American Indian children, compared to Caucasian children, was more often associated with foster care placement, juvenile court petition, alcohol abuse of child or caretaker, violence in the family, and family receipt of public assistance. The neglect of Caucasian children, when compared to American children, was more often associated with family preservation services, child or adult mental or physical problem, and inadequate housing. These data, from the 1995-1999 NCANDS, appear to confirm stereotypical assignations of neglect to American Indian families. This study supports the need for the direct participation of sovereign Indian nations in child protective investigation, treatment, and data collection, in order to create a more complete data system that will provide accurate numbers and characteristics of abused and neglected American Indian children
