PATHWAYS PRACTICE DIGEST A Practical Forum for Services to Indian Children & Families Spring 2018
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Core Competencies for Tribal Child Welfare Workers
National Indian Child Welfare Association 5100 SW Macadam Avenue, Suite 300 Portland, Oregon 97239 P (503) 222-4044 F (503) 222-4007 www.nicwa.org
The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) is a private nonprofit, membership-based organization dedicated to the well-being of American Indian and Alaska Native children and families. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, NICWA serves tribes, individuals, and private organizations throughout the United States and Canada by serving as the most comprehensive source of information on American Indian child welfare and acting as the only national Native organization focused on building tribal capacity to prevent child abuse and neglect. Our Mission
The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) is dedicated to the well-being of American Indian and Alaska Native children and families.
Board of Directors
President Gil Vigil (Tesuque Pueblo) Vice President Rochelle Ettawageshik (Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians) Secretary W. Alex Wesaw (Pokagon Band of Potawatomi) Treasurer Gary Peterson, MSW (Skokomish) Members Teressa Baldwin (Inupiaq) Luke Madrigal (Cahuilla Band of Indians) Patricia Carter-Goodheart (Nez Perce) Angela Connor (Choctaw) Aurene Martin (Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) Cassondra Church (Pokagon Band of Potawatomi) Robert McGhee (Poarch Band of Creek Indians) Theodore Nelson, Sr. (Seminole Tribe of Florida) Paul Day (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe) Mary Tenorio, PhD, RN (Santo Domingo) Jocelyn Formsma (Swampy Cree) Derek Valdo (Acoma Pueblo) Debra Foxcroft (Tseshaht)
Board of Trustees
John Shagonaby (Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians) Brad Earl (Nez Perce descent) Sherry Salway Black (Oglala Lakota) Allard Teeple (Bay Mills Indian Community) Victor Rocha (Pechanga Band of LuiseĂąo Indians)
Founder and Senior Advisor Terry Cross (Seneca)
Executive Director
Sarah Kastelic (Alutiiq)
A Tribal Child Welfare Code of Ethics
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he practice of tribal child welfare work is grounded in specialized knowledge and understanding about the history, traditions, values, and family systems of the American Indian/Alaska Native communities served. Tribal child welfare services are committed to protecting American Indian/Alaska Native children and to preserving families, tribes, and culture, and to the professional development of tribal child welfare workers. Tribal child welfare practice maintains a commitment to the critical role spirituality plays in our culture. Tribal child welfare workers should promote policies and practices that demonstrate respect for healing and support the expansion of cultural knowledge and wellness. Tribal child welfare workers advocate for programs and institutions that demonstrate cultural competence and culturally specific services. Tribal child welfare workers recognize tribal code as an integral element in carrying out tribal child welfare work. The practice of tribal child welfare is based on core values and competencies that represent a basic philosophy to guide practice. Tribal child welfare workers advocate for these principles, core values, and competencies:
Core Values • • • • • •
We believe that American Indian/Alaska Native social and cultural traditions are the strongest resource for helping families. We respect and utilize the wisdom and applicable traditional teachings in our practice. We encourage and support the use of materials that are culturally relevant in content and methods in providing effective tribal child welfare services. We believe that the values and principles of traditional teachings support effective practice today. We strive to work effectively within the context of American Indian/Alaska Native culture, to be culturally competent, and respectful. We provide effective services to families with an understanding of history, the dynamics of oppression, contemporary politics, and the influence that these have in American Indian/ Alaska Native families’ lives.
Child Welfare Service Principles • • •
We provide services that are child centered. Because our culture is organized around family relationships, our services are family focused. We believe that case decisions and planning must be individualized and limited to the issues that put children at risk.
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We believe that service systems are responsible for meeting the needs of children and families, and therefore services must be collaborative. We provide child welfare services that build on family and community strengths. We recognize that each child undergoes a process of psychosocial development, and our services are conducted with the emotional, mental, and developmental well-being of the child in mind. We recognize and build on the resiliency of family systems and promote family healing. We utilize the resources of the extended family, friends, and community.
Child Welfare Values • • •
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We believe that the highest priorities for child welfare are child safety and well-being. We protect children through services that preserve and strengthen their families, extended families, and their tribes. We are committed to a child’s sense of belonging (permanency), including the child’s right to grow up within their own extended family, tribal community, and culture. We are committed to state compliance with ICWA and applicable tribal code.
How to Use this Material Between 2002 and 2003, NICWA’s Tribal Child Welfare Worker Certification Council developed a code of ethics for tribal child welfare workers based on nationwide input and careful review by stakeholders and leaders in our field. This code of ethics, adapted from the original, can support tribal child welfare programs and staff in a variety of ways. Some programs may wish to adopt this code (or a variation of it). This could involve sharing it with staff, having conversations about these principles to ensure consistent understanding and to wrestle with any principles that may be a challenge for the program, posting this code in your office, and even sharing it with families that are served by the program. Smaller programs, with only one to two staff, may choose to individually adopt a code such as this. Finally, a program code of ethics could serve an educational purpose and be a conversation starter for tribal leaders and for community members. Program directors may choose to share this with tribal leaders to help them get a better picture of the work their program does, and a code such as this one could even be printed in a tribal community newsletter or posted on a community or program Facebook page or website. National Indian Child Welfare Association | Pathways Practice Digest
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Confidentiality • • •
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We respect a family’s right to privacy. We do not solicit private information from families unless it is essential in providing services. We may disclose confidential information, when appropriate, with valid consent from a client, a person legally authorized to consent on behalf of the client, or in the context of a protected setting such as a child protection team. We take precautions to ensure and maintain the confidentiality of all case-related information. We respect a client’s right to share information and include extended families in their service plan. We do not disclose identifying information when discussing clients with consultants unless the client has been consulted and there is a compelling need for such disclosure.
Sexual Relationships Advocacy/Social Justice Values •
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We strive to understand and confront racism, oppression, cross-cultural ignorance, and services that are destructive to cultural identity, values, and integrity. We advocate for equal access to resources for children, families, and tribes. We are committed to working with state and local government and service providers to ensure that Indian children and families have access to the resources they need. We advocate for the preservation and integrity (wholeness) of Indian families and Indian culture.
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We do not, under any circumstances, engage in sexual activities or sexual contact with current families receiving services, relatives of families, or individuals with whom the family has a close personal relationship when there is a risk of exploitation or potential harm to the family or the profession.
Sexual Harassment •
We do not sexually harass families or co-workers. Sexual harassment includes sexual advances, sexual solicitation, request for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
Competency •
We provide services and represent ourselves as competent only within the boundaries of our education, training, licensing, certification, experience, or relevant cultural knowledge.
Conflict of Interest • •
We are alert to and avoid conflicts of interest that interfere with the exercise of professional discretion and impartial judgment. We inform the families and seek supervision (and inform the court, when appropriate) when a real or potential dual relationship arises and take reasonable steps to make the family’s interests primary and to protect them to the greatest extent possible.
National Indian Child Welfare Association | Pathways Practice Digest
Spring 2018 | Page 4
Family Decision Making • • •
We work with families to build the capacity to make informed decisions about the best interest of children. We advocate on behalf of parents who are not able to safeguard the interests and rights of their families. We assist families in recognizing their abilities and strengths.
Respectful Conduct • • •
We work respectfully with colleagues and represent accurately and fairly the qualifications, views, and obligations of colleagues. We cooperate with other child welfare agencies, colleagues, and with child welfare workers in a manner that serves the well-being of families. We conduct our interactions with elders, community members, and fellow colleagues in a manner that our tribal elders would regard as appropriate and respectful according to the cultural norms and values of their communities.
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Termination of Services •
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If we anticipate the termination or interruption of services to a family, we notify the family promptly and seek the transfer, referral, or continuation of services according to the family’s needs and preferences. We prioritize the safety of children in the decision to terminate services and, to the extent possible, respect and support a family’s desire to terminate services.
Continuing Education •
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We take reasonable steps to obtain or arrange for continuing education that addresses current knowledge and emerging developments related to tribal child welfare practice. We continue to strengthen our understanding of tribal and community culture and healing practices.
Discrimination •
We do not practice, condone, facilitate, or acquiesce to any form of bias that would have an adverse impact on the basis of tribal affiliation, degree of Indian blood, race, clan, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, political belief, spiritual practice, religion, or mental or physical disability.
We recognize that tribal sovereignty, the citizenship and unique political status of American Indian/ Alaska Native people, and jurisdictional issues create an environment with limits on who may be served and what services may be provided. These restrictions are based on political status and should not be construed as discrimination based on race.
Private Conduct • •
We do not permit our private conduct to interfere with our ability to fulfill our professional responsibilities. We do not permit our conduct to harm the reputation of the field of tribal child welfare work.
Integrity • •
We work toward the maintenance and promotion of high standards of practice. We recognize and promote integrity in the practice of tribal child welfare work.
Ethical Investigation •
Failure to comply with an ethics committee investigation or to follow an ethics committee decision is an ethical violation.
National Indian Child Welfare Association | Pathways Practice Digest
Spring 2018 | Page 5
Core Competencies for Tribal Child Welfare Workers
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ribal child welfare workers should be able to demonstrate core competencies that are grounded in their specialized knowledge and understanding of the history, values, and family systems of the American Indian/Alaska Native communities in which they serve. Mastery of these core competencies establishes tribal child welfare workers’ commitment to protecting American Indian/Alaska Native children and preserving families, tribes, and culture, while also indicating personal commitment to professional development. Tribal child welfare workers should promote policies and practices that demonstrate respect for healing and support the expansion of cultural knowledge and wellness; advocate for programs and institutions that demonstrate cultural competence and culturally specific services; and maintain a commitment to the critical role that spirituality plays in our culture.
Assessment skills • • •
Using culturally specific diagnostic approaches or treatment interventions Considering cultural factors in "clinical" issues Examining social, intellectual, emotional, family, economic, health, and self-help areas of functioning
Case management • • •
Program administration • • •
Setting goals and objectives for service delivery Identifying and assessing funding sources for the program Balancing program responsibilities with advocacy efforts
Court • • •
Writing a court report Providing expert testimony in Indian child welfare cases in state court Explaining court procedures and preparing a family for court
Out-of-home care • • •
Understanding the impact of attachment and separation Seeking out and developing relationships with client’s extended family Preparing a child for placement
Developing a case plan that describes who is to do what by when Linking the family with needed resources and facilitating the delivery of those Incorporating cultural issues into case plans (e.g., making treatment objectives related to cultural identity and coping with bicultural stress, etc.)
Child abuse investigation/Protective services process • • •
Assessing a telephone referral for the level of danger to a child and choosing the appropriate action Properly documenting an intake call Assessing a child's developmental level
Interviewing • • •
Using interviewing techniques specifically designed for Indian culture Respecting cultural rules of etiquette and the family role definitions from the client's culture when developing treatment objectives Using relationship as a helping tool by establishing rapport with the client
How to Use this Material Between 2002 and 2003, NICWA’s Tribal Child Welfare Worker Certification Council developed a skills assessment for tribal child welfare workers based on core competencies identified through nationwide input and careful review by stakeholders and leaders in our field. Today NICWA uses this assessment in our child welfare program reviews with tribes to help tribal child welfare programs assess the skillset of their workforce and to highlight opportunities for staff training and capacity building. Below is a list of core competencies with a few sample skills. Tribes can use this information in a number of ways: to inform the drafting of job descriptions, for individual child welfare worker self-assessment, as a team assessment, to set professional development goals, as supervision discussion items, and to identify or prioritize training topics or peer technical assistance/support opportunities. National Indian Child Welfare Association | Pathways Practice Digest
Spring 2018 | Page 6
Working with children • • •
Using language that is age appropriate and keeping children informed about their situation Using reframing as a way to help the child understand their situation Planning and conducting visitations that promote positive relationships
Permanency planning • • •
Use of the case relationship • • •
Using cultural views and concepts of health and family that are relevant to Indian people for assessing problems or treatment planning Helping families develop support systems Teaching parenting skills and coaching parents on their use of such skills
Working with foster parents • • •
Evaluating and selecting foster parents on the basis of established standards Conducting licensing studies Preparing foster parents for the difficulties of foster parenting
Assisting substance-abusing families • • •
Balancing the rights of parents vs. the rights of children Judging the appropriateness of a range of alternative permanent plans for a particular child Implementing a termination of parental rights
Monitoring compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act • • •
Developing relationships with state and private agencies Working with out-of-state tribes and tribal social services Filing a tribal "Intent to Intervene" in court proceedings
Culturally specific skills • • •
Practicing "starting where the client is" by understanding culture first Recognizing and combating racism and stereotyping Assessing your own feelings, values, and or biases about working with people of different cultures or different levels of assimilation
Identifying the problem of substance abuse in your clients to the degree that you know when to seek a drug and alcohol evaluation Understanding recovery from addiction and its effect on families Understanding and minimizing the impact of substance abuse on children
Providing in-home services • • •
Assessing situations in which in-home services are appropriate Providing a range of family services Assisting the family in identification of strengths and weaknesses
National Indian Child Welfare Association | Pathways Practice Digest
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Pathways Practice Digest National Indian Child Welfare Association 5100 SW Macadam Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, Oregon 97239 PHONE: (503) 222-4044 FAX: (503) 222-4007 WEB: www.nicwa.org