Ensuring A Better Future for Tribal Children in Foster Care
A Partnership with Pew Charitable Trusts

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Introduction

Child welfare is a complex and challenging field not only in practice, but in the areas of policy and funding too. While individual governments may approach child welfare slightly differently, all have goals of helping protect children and strengthening families in ways that support appropriate permanency options for children, and maintain their important connections to their families and communities. The ability to meet these goals is influenced by existing federal policies, the availability of funding, and the role of court oversight. Tribal governments face these same challenges, but also have some unique challenges in each of these areas.

The Pew Charitable Trusts recognized these challenges several years ago and developed in 2003 the Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care to respond to issues related to federal financing and court oversight. This non-partisan commission of experts from across the country conducted a thorough examination of these two areas and developed a report that was released in May of 2005. This report made recommendations for changes to federal funding sources, and court oversight in child welfare that provides a framework for comprehensive reform of the current system. The Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care also recognized the unique circumstances of tribal governments and made several recommendations specific to improving funding and court oversight for tribal children. The tribal recommendations reflect positions that the National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA), National Congress of American Indians, and a number of other regional inter-tribal organizations have previously endorsed.

As part of the overall effort, the Pew Charitable Trusts has provided a grant to NICWA to support activities to raise awareness, and support for the Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care recommendations, and in particular the tribal specific recommendations. This partnership will allow NICWA to bring attention to the funding and policy issues that impede child welfare services for American Indian and Alaskan Native children and promote reforms that are consistent with tribal priorities and the Pew Commission on Children and Foster Care.

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