Reframing the Orphan Mandate

Caring for the orphan is a biblical mandate for those who follow the Christian faith tradition. Yet, far too often, this charge has led to coercion and exploitation of marginalized populations. This manuscript will examine this phenomenon through the adoption of Indigenous people starting in colonial America, when Christian missionaries from Europe believed it was their spiritual obligation to “save” young Indigenous children from their “heathen” culture. This belief still shapes many adoption practices today. The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is presented as a step towards legal reparations for the harm done to Indigenous people during this time period. The idea of reparations is discussed as a vital step towards another Christian biblical mandate calling for active repair of broken relationships. Ultimately, this manuscript concludes with an application of the model of praxis from liberation theology to reframe how Christian social workers may approach caring for the orphan.

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Manning, Leah Katherine Hicks

Encyclopedia of Social Work ◽

10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.749 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Jean K. Quam

Keyword(s):

Child Welfare ◽

American Indian ◽

Social Workers ◽

Indian Child ◽

Bureau Of Indian Affairs ◽

Indian Child Welfare Act ◽

Indian Affairs

Leah Katherine Hicks Manning (1917–1979), a Shoshone-Paiute, was instrumental in the development of the Indian Child Welfare Act. She worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and promoted a better understanding of American Indian families and culture among social workers.

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Protecting the Future of Indigenous Children and Nations: An Examination of the Indian Child Welfare Act

Health and the American Indian ◽

10.4324/9780203047729-6 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 45-46

Keyword(s):

Child Welfare ◽

Indian Child ◽

Indian Child Welfare Act ◽

Indigenous Children ◽

The Future

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Applying Lessons from the U.S. Indian Child Welfare Act to Recently Passed Federal Child Protection Legislation in Canada

International Indigenous Policy Journal ◽

10.18584/iipj.2020.11.3.8206 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 1-32

Author(s):

Hayley Hahn ◽

Johanna Caldwell ◽

Vandna Sinha

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Child Welfare ◽

Child Protection ◽

State Level ◽

The United States ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Indian Child ◽

Family Policies ◽

Indian Child Welfare Act ◽

Indigenous Children

Indigenous children are overrepresented in child protection systems in the United States and to an even greater degree in Canada. Canada has recently passed federal child welfare legislation, Bill C-92, with the goal of affirming the rights of Indigenous Peoples and establishing guidelines with respect to child and family services for Indigenous children. The aim of this article is to contribute to ongoing discussions about the recently passed Canadian legislation, drawing on lessons learned in the United States context. The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), passed in the United States in 1978, has created a legislative paradigm, which in some cases has been bolstered by state-level provisions. The ICWA can provide helpful lessons to consider in Canada as the new legislation is implemented and amended over time. Specifically, we examine elements of the ICWA related to accessibility and compliance with the law, along with deeper analysis of state-level statutes related to adoption provisions in light of the phenomenon of transracial adoption of Indigenous children. As reactions to the Canadian federal law have been mixed, this policy analysis may be supportive of conversations regarding its further development, particularly related to funding and enforcement. On a broader level, considerations of Indigenous community jurisdiction over child and family policies within our discussion are relevant to various settler-colonial contexts.

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