English - Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies

families may be detrimental to many children, because one’s sense of identity
shapes and determines the quality of a person’s life.
The historical experiences of Aboriginal peoples have resulted in violence,
perpetrated both by individuals external and internal to the Aboriginal family. The
issue of lateral violence has an impact on understanding the root of violence and also
the ability of the community to protect children. Child welfare professionals need to
find health in the individuals and communities to ensure children can be raised in
their home communities.
F. THE IMPORTANCE OF IDENTITY
The formation of a person’s identity is a complex process that leads to the establishment
of a sense of self as an individual and in relation to others. A person’s identity includes
a sense of continuity (where I came from); a sense of uniqueness from others (what are
my gifts); and a sense of affiliation (who do I belong to).
Identities do not exist before they are constructed . . . ​and are shaped in part by
recognition, absence of recognition or misrecognition by others. Cultural identity
has three elements: self-identification, community identification and external
identification (Simard, 2009).
Our identities are rooted in culture, they tell us who we are and
give us guideposts about how to deal with life issues as they arise.
Without identity, individuals are unable to formulate a balanced
response to the situations that arise in life. They may react, mimic
what they have seen in others or run from what they do not have
the skill to deal with.
A profound disconnection from cultural identity and a sense of
knowing to whom individual Aboriginal peoples belong has resulted
from the historical legacy of breaking cultural continuity of
Aboriginal peoples. Negative messages about being Aboriginal in
Canada that stem from this history have a negative impact on one’s
positive identity formation.
Aboriginal families will appreciate a holistic case management
approach; however, a child welfare professional may never fully
understand the breadth and depth of any one family.
The survivors of the Indian residential school system, have, in
many cases, continued to have their lives shaped by the experiences
of those schools. Persons who attended those schools
continue to struggle with their identity after years of being taught
to hate themselves and their culture (RCAP, 1996c).
Children are in danger of losing
their own cultural identity. Some
carry depression, anxiety and fear
from their foster care experience,
which has a great impact and
effect throughout their lives even
when it was reported as a positive
outcome. They might be treated
differently from others in the foster
home, and might also be treated
differently among their own siblings
after returning back from foster
care. They feel out of place, and not
certain where to fit in within their
immediate families and within their
communities. A lot of Inuit parents
have lost the intimate connection
they once had with their children.
- Focus group participant
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