History of Indian Child Welfare Act 1978
American Indian and Alaska Native children were removed from their families and homes and were placed in non-Native institutions and homes for an extensive …show more content…
The Indian Child Welfare Act affected Alaska Native children, Native American children, and their families in a positive way. The act has now allowed Indian tribes to attain extensive control over the adoption placement and foster care of Indian children (MacEachron, Gustavsson, Cross, & Lewis, 1996). Indian tribes reacted peacefully because it was a benefit to them. They were glad that their children would no longer be removed from their homes for indefinite reasons. They were also more open to their children being placed within their communities and with people of the same cultural …show more content…
In conclusion, according to Byler adoption and foster care rates for Indian children ranged from 5 to more than 19 times higher than non-Indian children (MacEachron, Gustavsson, Cross, & Lewis, 1996). Majority of those children were removed to non-Indian homes (MacEachron, Gustavsson, Cross, & Lewis, 1996). The Indian Child Welfare Act was passed in 1978 in effort to decrease the number of Indian children who were removed from homes and also to keep the children close to their communities and cultural roots. This act led to institutions and foster homes being built in Indian communities for the children to be removed to as well as set limitations on whether the child should be removed from the home or not. Indians have even been able to develop child service and family programs on Indian reservations. Indian tribes have also gained vast control over the adoption placement and foster care of Indian children. Personally this act is great for Indian tribes because it keeps the children close to their families, culture, and communities in which they have grown accustom to. This act has also helped with promoting security and stability within Indian tribes. The act was appropriate for its historical context as well as for the issues in which the Indians faced for so long. If it were up to me I would not change anything about the act. I like that this act is open to Indians and I think it is well needed for not only Indian families, but Indian