NCJ Number
137783
Journal
Child Welfare Volume: 71 Issue: 4 Dated: (July-August 1992) Pages: 329-342
Date Published
1992
Length
14 pages
Annotation
The oppression suffered by most Native American parents leads to frequent problems of abuse or neglect. In many cases where children are removed from the home, both tribal and State child protective services (CPS) workers have observed that the parents leave their home area, avoid contact with the agency, and seemingly abandon their child.
Abstract
Interrelated situational, cultural, and community factors may provoke this type of reaction. Native American parents often view CPS as a threat, believing that intervention is unfair or unjustified. Poverty and the effects of racism and discrimination make them fearful and distrustful of persons from the dominant culture, particularly those who represent a non-tribal social service agency. Parents are often directly affected by alcoholism, may have personal histories of loss and grieving, may have low self-esteem or a lack of self-confidence, and may have a history of family dysfunction, all of which can provoke an extreme reaction when confronted with an accusation of neglect or abuse and a CPS intervention. CPS workers serving Native American clients should try to reduce parents' fear, involve the extended family, empower the parents to counter feelings of helplessness, use culturally relevant programs to confront problems of substance abuse, and address the parents' needs for concrete services. 16 references (Author abstract modified)