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Attend the Conference

The 44th Annual Protecting Our Children Conference will be in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, March 29–April 1, 2026.

NICWA hosts the largest national gathering on Native child advocacy issues. With over 2,000 attendees, this three-day conference is the premiere national event addressing tribal child welfare and well-being. Can’t join us in Oklahoma? Join us virtually for general sessions featuring over a dozen inspiring speakers.

NICWA hosts the largest national gathering on Native child advocacy issues. With over 2,000 attendees, this three-day conference is the premiere national event addressing tribal child welfare and well-being. Below is information from our April of 2025 annual conference. Check back in the fall of 2025 for more details about the 44th annual conference. 

Register today

Highlights of our previous conference

Previous Schedule At a Glance

detailed agenda
Sunday, March 29
  • 3:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

    Registration Open

  • 4:30 p.m.–6:00 p.m.

    Presenter Orientation

  • 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.

    Membership Reception and Annual Meeting

  • 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

    Registration Open

  • 9:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

    Opening General Session

  • 1:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m.

    Workshops A

  • 3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

    Workshops B

  • 7:30 a.m.–8:15 a.m.

    National Day of Prayer for Native Children

  • 8:30 a.m.–10:00 a.m.

    General Session

  • 10:30 a.m.–Noon

    NEW! Regional Convenings

  • 1:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m.

    Workshops D

  • 3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

    Workshops E

  • 6:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.

    Banquet Dinner

  • 8:30 a.m.–10:00 a.m.

    Workshops F

  • 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

    Closing General Session

Conference Tracks

Child Welfare, Foster Care, and Adoption Services

Spanning areas such as grant writing for child welfare programs, implementing differential response, identifying best practices in family team decision-making, and cutting-edge research practices, this track includes the latest and most up-to-date information in child welfare. Explore topics that include providing effective prevention services and planning for youth engagement while establishing transitional services. Workshops will support improvements in your child welfare, foster care, and adoption services as well as the skills of program staff and educators, which could impact your program, tribal nation, community, and school for generations to come.

Leaders in the field of children’s mental health will share experiences, research, and information on the issues that impact Native children everywhere. Learn how to support and nurture families dealing with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and empower young people using new community engagement techniques. Attend sessions on how to address the difficult topic of youth suicide and what can be done to change the future for young people to bring promising results. Incarceration is a common result of historical trauma; explore techniques for culturally appropriate services, including traditional healing and other ways to heal our children, families, and communities.
The well-being of Native children and families is impacted by tribal, state, and federal laws and policies that guide practice in child welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health services. In this track, participants will learn about these laws and policies and how they are implemented. Workshops will discuss effective legal practice on behalf of Native children and families, programmatic challenges to implementing federal policies, tribal code development, innovative tribal court practices, intergovernmental agreements, and how effective collaboration can lead to meaningful systematic change.
Youth and families are the experts in their own lives; they should have an active role in their care management. Learn to engage and empower youth and families involved with systems using a strengths-based perspective. Gain insight on trauma-informed methods of engaging youth and families proactively; learn steps to developing successful youth leaders. Become informed about what diverse Native communities across the country are currently doing and have done in the past to involve Native youth and families.

Attendee and Registration Details

Payment
Early-Bird Rates
(must be paid for in full by 1/31/2026)		Full Rates
(after 1/31/2026)
In person registration
Member registration rate
(for current NICWA members)		$600$699
Non-member registration rate
(Includes a one-year $100 Sweetgrass membership beginning April 30,2026) 		$700$799
Youth and elder rate
(youth 24 and younger and elders 65 and over)		$400$499
Foster and adopted person rate
(current foster and adoptive parents, adult adopters, and fostered individuals)		$400$499
Presenter rate
(up to 3 per workshop)		$300$399
Volunteers
(must volunteer 8 hours)		No cost
Virtual registration
Virtual rate
(only includes general sessions)		$95

We accept AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, and VISA. Payment must be made in U.S. dollars. Confirmation of registration will be emailed to you. Registrations with payment by check are not considered complete until payment is made. Please note that payment must be received by the early-bird deadline to receive the early-bird price. After January 31, 2026, the registration price will increase. Advance payment is required.

Refunds will be made if a written cancellation notice is emailed to training@nicwa.org on or before January 31, 2026. Refunds are paid in full, minus a $100 administrative fee. Prepaid registrants who are unable to attend may send another person in their place without penalty. No refunds will be issued after January 31, 2026.. No refunds are available for virtual attendees.

Most conference functions will be in person in Oklahoma City. We have a virtual option for those who cannot attend in person. This will be a limited experience with access only to our three general sessions. This option does not have access to our over 80 workshops. For the full conference experience, consider attending in person.

This year, there is a limit to our in-person capacity. Register early to secure your spot.

NICWA offers a group discount on our in-person early-bird and in-person regular registration rates. Groups of 5–9 people receive a 5% discount. Groups of 10+ people receive a 10% discount. Group members must all register at the same time to get the discount. For more details on the discount, contact training@nicwa.org.

In-person participants receive about 14 continuing education units (CEUs) from the National Association of Social Workers-Washington state upon request. The cost is included in the registration fee.

Travel & Lodging

NICWA will host the 44th Annual Protecting Our Children Conference at the Oklahoma City Convention Center. Oklahoma is home to 39 Tribal Nations. 

While that meeting space will be at the convention center, NICWA has reserved several room blocks at nearby hotels for our guests. Use the special booking links below to get the best rates.

Hotels

Omni Oklahoma City Hotel- HOST HOTEL

Key Details

Additional information

Rooms are $159/night plus tax. The hotel offers $18.00 discounted parking. Rate includes complimentary guest room wireless internet, business center, outdoor pool, and a fitness center. Rates are guaranteed until March 5, 2026, or until sold out.

The hotel is 0.1 mile from the convention center and is the host hotel. This hotel is good for elders.

Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Oklahoma City Downtown

Key Details

Additional information

Rooms are $146-$156/night plus tax. The hotel offers complimentary parking for guests in the room block. Rate includes complimentary guest room wireless internet, fitness center, and complimentary hot breakfast. Rates are guaranteed until March 5, 2026, or until sold out.

This hotel is 0.25 miles from the convention center. This hotel is recomended for elders.

Wyndham Grand Oklahoma City Downtown

Key Details

Additional information

Rooms are $130/night plus taxes. Rate includes complimentary guest room wireless internet, business center, and a fitness center. Rates are guaranteed until March 5, 2026, or until sold out.

This hotel is 0.6 miles from the convention center. A shuttle bus will be provided during peak conference times.

Sheraton Oklahoma City Downtown Hotel

Key Details

Additional information

Rooms are $165/night plus taxes. Rate includes complimentary guest room wireless internet and a fitness center. Rates are guaranteed until March 5, 2026, or until sold out.

This hotel is 0.6 miles from the convention center. A shuttle bus will be provided during peak conference times.

Courtyard by Marriott Oklahoma City Downtown

Key Details

Additional information

Rooms are $130/night plus taxes. Rate includes complimentary guest room wireless internet,pool, and a fitness center. Rates are guaranteed until March 5, 2026, or until sold out.

This hotel is 0.5 miles from the convention center. A shuttle bus will be provided during peak conference times.

Sheraton Oklahoma City Downtown Hotel

Key Details

Additional information

Rooms are $165/night plus taxes. Rate includes , complimentary guest room wireless internet and a fitness center. Rates are guaranteed until March 5, 2026, or until sold out.

This hotel is 0.5 miles from the convention center. A shuttle bus will be provided during peak conference times.

A NICWA volunteer smiling at the annual conference registration desk.

Volunteer With Us

The success of NICWA’s Annual Protecting Our Children Conference depends on the support of generous and dedicated volunteers. As a small staff, we could not host this event without the help of volunteers. Volunteers who complete at least eight hours of volunteering will be given free general admission to the conference.

Volunteer FAQs

What do volunteers do?

Volunteers will sign up for four 2-hour shifts. They will check-in for their shift 10 minutes before the start time and will check in with the volunteer coordinator. Volunteers can sign up for a variety of tasks and shift times to meet their needs and interests.

Volunteer registration will open in the fall. Please review the types of volunteer roles and then select at least four 2-hour shifts. 

Volunteers will be expected to watch our virtual volunteer orientation on February 26 at 1:00 p.m. central time. A recording will be made available after the meeting for those unable to attend live.

There are four types of volunteer shifts: helping with registration, being a workshop monitor, helping with set up and clean up, and general session and banquet support. 

Become a Sponsor

Become a sponsor of the largest national gathering of Native child welfare professionals and advocates dedicated to building the capacity of tribal nations to ensure that all Native children grow up safe, healthy, and spiritually strong. Every year, from August to March, we recruit a broad range of partners to help underwrite this critical training event.

Sponsoring NICWA’s Protecting Our Children Conference offers you the opportunity to reach a unique audience while directly supporting work to build the capacity of tribal nations to implement community-based solutions and supports and ensure that all Native children and their families are safe, healthy, and belong to strong communities that are culturally and spiritually abundant.

For more information, contact April Black, NICWA’s development manager, at april@nicwa.org or (503) 222-4044.

Sponsorship Opportunities

For more information, contact April Black, NICWA’s development manager, at april@nicwa.org or (503) 222-4044.

In 2024, we offered practical, timely, and culturally relevant information to over 2,000 participants—frontline tribal child welfare and behavioral health workers, legal professionals, advocates for children and youth, and tribal, state, and federal government representatives. We thank our 2024 sponsors for their support. Read about the conference results, including the list of our sponsors, in the 42nd Annual Protecting Our Children Sponsor Report.

Thank you to our current 2025 Sponsors

We recognize and thank the tribal nations, businesses, and organizations that make NICWA’s Annual Protecting Our Children Conference possible. As a sponsor, your contribution directly impacts our work to build the capacity of tribal nations to implement community-based solutions and supports and ensure that all Native children and their families are safe, healthy, and belong to strong communities that are culturally and spiritually abundant. Read our 2025 Sponsor Report.

View the Full List of Sponsors

Save the Date for Upcoming Conferences

44th Annual Conference

March 29–April 1, 2026

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

45th Annual Conference

April 4–April 7, 2027


Albuquerque, New Mexico

46th Annual Conference

April 9–April 12, 2028
Minneapolis, Minnesota
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