Canada's First Nations Child Welfare Crisis: A Summary and Analysis of Contributing Factors and Recommendations for Nation-Wide Improvements

• Main Author: Dixon, Davina
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: School of Policy Studies, Queen's University 2018
• Subjects: First Nations; Child Welfare Crisis; Nation-Wide Improvements; Canada's First Nations; Families of First Nations
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1974/24044

A Compilation of Essays by Master’s Students in the School of Policy Studies, Queen’s University This paper will focus on the contributing factors that cause such high numbers of First Nations children on-reserve to go into child welfare care. It will also focus on recommendations for improving First Nation child and family services, programing and funding for families living on-reserve that have come out of literature reviews and research projects within the last twenty years. A synthesis and analysis of these works will result in some concluding recommendations to address the critical issues of policy development/reform, program governance and delivery and, funding model and formula improvements, all with the goal of improving or eliminating the contributing factors to the high incidence of First Nations children on-reserve in care. These recommendations will include short-term recommendations to address the devastatingly high incidence of First Nation child suicide rates, and the ever-growing number of First Nations children in care where there is often little to no success of reintegration with their families and communities. Although each First Nation community has a unique identity, made up of traditions and cultural values and norms, this paper will examine the First Nations child welfare crisis from a national perspective in light of the high rates of First Nations children in care across the country. The contributing factors and reforms considered therefore will be applicable for a nation-wide solution.