Supporting Native Youth in Foster Care

If you are thinking about becoming a foster parent in Washington State, there is a good chance that at some point you will be asked to care for a Native child or teen who is connected to a tribe. Washington is home to 29 federally recognized tribes, and many Native children and youth in our communities, including in King County, are tribally affiliated. Caring for them well takes extra knowledge, humility, and a willingness to be part of a bigger team than you may be used to.

Below we will cover why this work matters, the laws that shape it, how to work with a tribal social worker, and practical ways to support a young person’s cultural identity while they are in your home.

Why This Work Matters

Native children have been separated from their families, tribes, and cultures for generations, through boarding schools and, later, through child welfare removals and adoptions into non-Native homes. Native children are still overrepresented in the foster care system nationally. For a tribally affiliated young person, staying connected to family, community, language, and ceremony is not a nice extra. It is central to their safety, identity, and long-term well-being.

As a foster parent, you are not replacing any of that. You are helping to uplift and hold it in place until a child can return to their home of origin or achieve other forms of permanency.

ICWA and WICWA in Plain Language

The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is a federal law passed in 1978 in response to the large numbers of Native children being removed from their families and placed outside their communities. Washington also has its own state law, the Washington State Indian Child Welfare Act (WICWA), passed in 2011, which builds on the federal law and, in some areas, adds protections.

A few ideas are worth knowing before you ever receive a placement call:

• Tribes decide membership. Whether a child is an “Indian child” under the law depends on tribal membership or eligibility, and only the tribe can determine that. Caseworkers are required to ask about Native ancestry early and to contact the tribe or tribes involved.
• Tribes are notified and involved. The child’s tribe has the right to be notified and to take part in court proceedings and case planning. In many cases, a tribe may also have jurisdiction over the case.
• Active efforts. Before a Native child is removed, and while they are in care, the Department of Children, Youth & Family (DCYF) must make “active efforts” to support the family and work toward reunification. This is a higher standard than the “reasonable efforts” required in other cases.
• Placement preferences. The laws set an order of preference for where a Native child should live. Under federal law, it is generally in the order below:
  1. Extended family
  2. Licensed foster home, approved, or specified by the child’s tribe
  3. Native foster home licensed by another authority
  4. An institution approved by the tribe.     

Washington’s law and a tribe’s own preferences can adjust this. Deviating from the preferences requires a “good cause” finding by the court.

What this means for you: if you are a non-Native foster parent, you may be asked to care for a Native child when the preferred options are not immediately available, and the placement may be time-limited while relatives or tribal homes are identified. That can be hard emotionally. The best thing you can do is understand that these preferences exist to protect the child’s connection to their family and tribe, and that supporting them is part of your role. If the child moves to a relative or a tribal home, you can be a steady, gracious part of that transition.

Working with a Tribal Social Worker

When a child is tribally affiliated, you will likely work with a social worker from the child’s tribe, in addition to the state caseworker. The tribal social worker is not an extra layer of paperwork. They are a full partner in decisions about the child, and they often know the family, the community, and the child’s cultural needs far better than anyone else on the team.

Ways to build a strong working relationship:

• Reach out early and introduce yourself. Ask the tribal worker how they prefer to communicate and how often they would like updates.
• Ask, don’t assume. Ask what traditions, foods, ceremonies, or family connections matter to this child, and what they would like you to do or avoid.
• Share what you see. Tell them about the child’s strengths, interests, and struggles, and any questions or comments the child raises about their family or culture.
• Support visits and contact. Time with parents, siblings, grandparents, and other relatives is vital. Be flexible and reliable about transportation and scheduling.
• Respect their expertise and their decisions. Tribal social workers know their community. If something is unfamiliar to you, treat it as an opportunity to learn.
• Keep information confidential. Cultural and family information shared with you is for supporting this child, not for social media or casual conversation.

Supporting a Child’s Cultural Identity at Home

There is no single “Native culture.” Each tribe has its own history, languages, traditions, and values, and each family practices them in its own way. That is why the most important rule is to ask the child’s family and tribe what matters, rather than guess. With that in mind, here are some places to start:

• Learn about the child’s specific tribe. Start with the tribe’s website and public resources, and be open to what the tribal worker and family share with you.
• Protect connections. Help the child stay in touch with family and attend tribal events, gatherings, and cultural programs when the tribe and family are supportive, even if it takes extra effort on your part.
• Ask before making changes to appearance. Hair, regalia, jewelry, and traditional items can carry deep meaning. Ask the tribe and family before cutting hair or setting aside any cultural items, and treat these items with care.
• Make room for food, language, and stories. If the child wants to practice a language, cook traditional foods, or share stories, make that welcome in your home. Look for books, music, and media created by Native authors and artists from the child’s community.
• Be an ally at school and in the community. Notice stereotypes in classrooms, mascots, and holiday lessons. Be ready to listen if the child encounters bias, and to advocate with them.
• Connect with local Native organizations. In the Seattle area, urban Native organizations such as the Seattle Indian Health Board, Chief Seattle Club, and United Indians of All Tribes Foundation offer community and cultural connections. Ask the tribal social worker what is appropriate for your child.
• Honor the birth family. Speak respectfully about the child’s parents and relatives. Many Native youth carry a strong sense of loyalty to their families and communities, and that loyalty deserves your respect.

Stay Open to Learning

You will make mistakes. Everyone does. What matters is that you approach this work with cultural humility: you are not an expert on this child’s culture, and you do not need to be. You need to be curious, respectful, willing to be corrected, and committed to keeping the child connected to the people and places that make them who they are. Your YMCA Case Manager and Licensor can help to locate and refer trainings on ICWA, working with tribes, and/or supporting Native youth.

Ready to Learn More?

Native youth in care need homes that are committed to their culture, their families, and their tribes, whether those homes are Native or non-Native. If you are curious about becoming a foster parent and would like to talk through what this could look like for you, we would love to hear from you.