The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) recognizes tribes' rights to exercise authority over the welfare of Native American children. Although the ICWA was passed more than 20 years ago, its implementation in Minnesota has been uneven. A conference was held to rectify that situation, and these proceedings provide, among other things, information on…

Explores two historical periods that preceded the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978: the boarding and mission school era (1880s-1950s) and the Indian adoption era (1950s-70s). The assimilationist social welfare policy of those two eras led to the eventual need for special legislation that protects tribal self-determination, heritage, and family…

The Select Committee on Indian Affairs met on June 30, 1980, for an oversight hearing on the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 to correct flaws and straighten out problems concerning Public Law 95-608 and the way it is implemented. Various members of the administration and a group of Indian leaders from across the country attended the hearing, at…

An oversight hearing on the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 was conducted to assess how well the program is running, what improvements can be made in the administration of the program, and whether any modification of the original legislation is necessary. Thirty-one members of the administration and Indian leaders from across the country…

This collection of works by Native American writers reveals the political use by the U.S. and Canadian governments of schooling, adoption, and child welfare services to erase tribal identity and sovereignty. Seven tales in part 1 reflect various Native perspectives about the value and place of children in Native cultures. They provide background…