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Preparing a Cultural Plan for the Adoption of an Indigenous Child
The purpose of this page is to assist you to meet the requirements of making an Indigenous Child Cultural Plan. These are the topics that you will need to discuss with the Sunrise social worker before placement of a child with you:
General Education
Appreciation and sensitivity to the child’s cultural heritage; Knowledge of our society’s previous history and relationship with Indigenous peoples; Knowledge and understanding of the policies, history and issues of racism that impact Indigenous people in Canada;Commitments to Action
Commitment to preserve the child’s specific cultural identity through use of a Cultural Plan; Commitment to helping the child develop a strong self-image that incorporates and respects the child’s cultural, racial, linguistic, and religious heritage; Commitment to ensuring that the child is registered as a Status Indian, if eligible, and for the child to be made aware of any entitlement he or she has in being registered; The extent to which the adoptive family is aware of the Indigenous cultural activities of the child’s nation and their interest in contact with the Band or extended family members after the order is granted (it is not a requirement); Interest in maintaining cultural and kinship relationships (this is not a requirement).As you can see, these topics cover historical and current issues. Your preparation on some of these topics can start now and before you receive a specific child proposal. Other topics by their nature will need to be covered when you have been chosen by a birth parent.
You can choose your own research to get ready for preparing the plan. These can cover historical discrimination, the residential school disaster and modern-day systemic racism.
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The Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a good place to start. See also the UN Condemnation of Canada’s treatment of indigenous peoples, and reports about specific issues such as the provision of health services in Canada (First Peoples, Second Class Treatment). Try to find articles which bring hope for the future. What is being done to try to correct the mistakes of the past, to heal the wounds, and to move forward.
To get you started we have included some links below. If you find material which you think future adopting parents could benefit from, please let us know. Your feedback on this page and this very complex topic are welcomed.
In working with your social worker to create a plan, here are some ideas from previous parents to stimulate your progress, but be creative and consistent with your goals for this adopted child.
Complete the Indigenous Perspectives Adoption Course. Register child as a status Indian as soon as the adoption is complete and there is a new birth certificate. Once child’s status has been confirmed, connect with the birth parents’ band to register child with band(s). Register child for an Indigenous day-care. They are uncertain of wait lists but hope this will be a possibility. Maintain a connection with birth mother with the hopes of having in person meetings.Participate in Indigenous activities and groups in Vancouver such as drum circles. Connect with band about participating in activities Future plan to travel to ancestral lands.3
Links
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