English - Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies

More documents

Recommendations

Info

$Marie Collins \$

G. ATTACHMENT Culture has commonly been defined as the worldview, lifestyle, learned and shared beliefs and values, knowledge, symbols, and rules that guide behaviour and create shared meanings within a group of people. These cultural norms are passed down from generation to generation. Early childhood is a critical time for positive identity formation. The opportunity to learn one’s heritage language clearly contributes to healthy cultural identity formation. Section Four of this Practice Guide articulates how child welfare professionals may strengthen their practice with Aboriginal families experiencing violence. By the age of nine, after being placed in over 28 different living situations, Richard Cardinal had given up his longing for love, for family, and for dignity. He ended his life, writing, “I just can’t take it anymore” (Obomsawin, 1986). Richard’s death drew a great deal of attention to the over-representation of Aboriginal children in care, and raised questions as to why any child would be moved to so many homes in such a short time. It also raised the question about the impact on a child’s ability to attach to a person if s/he is moved repeatedly. In the last 20 years, research has emphasized the importance of attachment in the first years of life, and has particularly focused on the crucial importance of mother and child bonding. In some Aboriginal cultures it is deemed so important to ensure attachment that mothers carry their children for the first year of life. For the Inuit, the design of their coat, the Amauti, is intended to ensure that children stay physically close to the mother throughout the day. By relying on a broader circle including extended family members to care for a child, the chance for attachment and connection increases. Fortunately, the practices of kinship care and Customary Care provide opportunities for healthy bonding to occur between children and their families. Some Aboriginal scholars have suggested that “attachment theory is not particularly relevant in Indigenous cultures” and suggest that “a discussion on connectedness has stronger cultural meaning to Aboriginal peoples than the suggestion that children should attach to one or two principle figures in their lives”(Carrière 2007). This is consistent with the teachings embedded in the Harmony Circles. A research project conducted by Weechi-it-te-win Family Services examined the ways in which children’s cultural identity could be ensured by providing cultural attachment. Weechi-it-te-win built on the foundation of the traditional family structure and created a service placement model called “Cultural Placement.” The model is based on the placement principle that is designed to ensure that a child is safe and mechanisms are in place for the family, extended family and community to collectively raise the child within the child’s cultural context. Attachment is recognized as a need but more people are engaged to perform that responsibility to the individual child. 34
A REAL INDIAN I never met a real Indian I’ve only seen them on T.V. or in a picture book. Real Indians I thought were the ones that stood straight and tall with arms folded and that oh too familiar, poker straight face staring straight ahead. The only real thing about these Indians were the way they looked, you know. I never seen them laugh at something silly or cry at the sad disheartening plight of others. I have never seen them kiss and hug, or run and play. For a long time far too long. I wished I could meet a real Indian not to talk to just to stand mouth agape and stare at the unrealness of the creature. Many people informed me that I was Indian and I would reply, yes I’m Indian but not a real Indian. I travelled through life explaining, deciphering and denying Indianness often wondering why my skin colour had to be that one shade darker making life so difficult and complex. Why is it everyone is so intrigued and mystified by a nation that staggers down the street and totters on the corner. What is it about these trinket trading savages that will not die and go away. To what linguistic family do you belong too many inquisitive whites have asked me You tell me and we’ll both know I’d think ashamedly. White people knew way more about Indians than I did. Isn’t it a crime what happened to the Beothuks In my mind I’d search for the meaning of the word. The strangest thing transpired while I was reading a book. I identified with a people that were so far removed from me and my reality. I was hooked. I searched through pages and picked up pieces. I found these pieces everywhere, alone I travelled, unsure of what the treasure was or how I’d know when I’d found it. Time transpired, days, years, a lifetime unfolded, bits and pieces from everywhere retrieved. Cut and paste, put together working hard make it fit. Finally, not yet finished but enough pieces are in place. I pick it up to have a look at what I have in front of me. I stand straight and tall my mouth agape, before me is a real Indian as real as real can be. I know she’s real because there’s no mistake that pieced together Indian is me. - Decarlo, 1993 H. RESILIENCY Resiliency is a concept that has strong resonance in Aboriginal communities. Despite the deliberate attempts to dismantle First Nations, Inuit and Métis culture, families and communities, Aboriginal peoples have demonstrated incredible resiliency. The concept of resiliency is throughout Indigenous cultures and means the ability to overcome deprivation and adverse conditions in life. 35
Page 1: WORKING WITH FIRST NATIONS, INUIT A
Page 4 and 5: SUPPORTING ABORIGINAL FAMILIES Than
Page 6 and 7: THE STEERING COMMITTEE Native Child
Page 8 and 9: 8 4 > STRENGTHENING YOUR PRACTICE /
Page 10 and 11: Child welfare professionals have a
Page 12 and 13: 4. To successfully protect First Na
Page 14 and 15: A range of violent behaviour can oc
Page 16 and 17: “The term ‘Aboriginal’ is off
Page 18 and 19: The Practice Guide is an invitation
Page 20 and 21: Clan family: This structure is base
Page 22 and 23: Family violence (witnessing and bei
Page 24 and 25: could live on the land and in the c
Page 26 and 27: The historical trauma of Aboriginal
Page 28 and 29: VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Adapted from
Page 30 and 31: FAMILY VIOLENCE Family violence in
Page 32 and 33: General characteristics of lateral
Page 36 and 37: In Indian country, we should probab
Page 38 and 39: Customary Care: Customary Care reco
Page 40 and 41: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corpora
Page 43 and 44: 2 > FIRST NATION, INUIT AND MÉTIS
Page 45 and 46: First Nations people living outside
Page 47 and 48: First Nations, Métis and Inuit peo
Page 49 and 50: and meeting obligations to medicine
Page 51 and 52: C. THE INUIT In 2006, there were 2,
Page 53 and 54: population relates primarily to the
Page 55 and 56: Individuals or their children were
Page 57 and 58: status as a result of marrying non-
Page 59 and 60: MILLENNIUM SCOOP In her report, Pro
Page 61 and 62: G. ABORIGINAL FAMILIES AND CHILD WE
Page 63 and 64: . . . if we go back to the origi
Page 65 and 66: Effectiveness of Healing Activities
Page 67 and 68: 3 > UNDERSTANDING CHILD WELFARE AND
Page 69 and 70: and linguistic development, is a de
Page 71 and 72: The Medicine Wheel is an ancient sy
Page 73 and 74: Life Cycle Wheel training and teach
Page 75 and 76: 1. Piliriqatigiinngniq — worki
Page 77 and 78: Traditionally, it was the women who
Page 79 and 80: The OACAS Practice Guide, Critical
Page 81 and 82: THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK TO END VIOL
Page 83 and 84: 2. In order for development to occu
Page 85 and 86:
Circles and involves the community
Page 87 and 88:
A key tool that is often used to he
Page 89:
Four Worlds International Institute
Page 92 and 93:
A. HOW ABORIGINAL FAMILIES DESCRIBE
Page 94 and 95:
Indigenous knowledge, including how
Page 96 and 97:
“I felt judged by the workers. I
Page 98 and 99:
The focus group participants gave t
Page 100 and 101:
“When a CAS protection worker cam
Page 102 and 103:
Offer as many interventions as poss
Page 104 and 105:
The model below shows elements invo
Page 106 and 107:
F. PRACTICE: ENGAGE OTHERS TO SUPPO
Page 108 and 109:
What are the strengths of this fami
Page 110 and 111:
The focus group participants made t
Page 112 and 113:
“CAS was called in because the fa
Page 114 and 115:
3. Focus group participants express
Page 116 and 117:
Some of the training provided to re
Page 118 and 119:
SOURCES Ajunnginiq Centre, National
Page 120 and 121:
A. WHAT DOES “ABORIGINAL COMMUNIT
Page 122 and 123:
Organizational change within CAS in
Page 124 and 125:
ESTABLISH A COMMITTEE OF CHILD WELF
Page 126 and 127:
“Our organization has agreements
Page 128 and 129:
AHWS Healing Continuum Aboriginal H
Page 130 and 131:
SOURCES Aboriginal Healing and Well
Page 132 and 133:
A. WHAT DOES ADVOCACY MEAN Child we
Page 134 and 135:
community initiatives, conducted re
Page 136 and 137:
To download a copy of Children Firs
Page 138 and 139:
3. What interventions are offered t
Page 140 and 141:
and ongoing needs with the resource
Page 142 and 143:
A. A PROCESS OF RECONCILIATION In 1
Page 144 and 145:
S O U R C E S Blackstock, C., Cross
Page 146 and 147:
ONTARIO ABORIGINAL ORGANIZATIONS Ch
Page 148 and 149:
APPENDIX A GLOSSARY Unless specific
Page 150 and 151:
emaining within Canada. All 10 prem
Page 152 and 153:
APPENDIX B SAFETY PLANNING FOR WOME
Page 154 and 155:
APPENDIX C SAFETY PLANNING FOR THE
Page 156 and 157:
flag situations arise from rigid ex
Page 158 and 159:
REFERENCES 2-Sprited People of the
Page 160 and 161:
Castellano, M.B., Archibald, L., &
Page 162 and 163:
Hudson, P. & McKenzie, B. (2003). E
Page 164 and 165:
Ontario Association of Children’s
Page 166:
Teillet, J. (2010). Métis law in C
show all

English - Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?