WHY IS THERE AN INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT?
The Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 is a Federal law that protects the rights of Indian children, families and tribes. Prior to the Act, many State courts and weifare departments were removing an inordinately high percentage of Indian children from their homes and tribes, and placing them in non-Indian homes and institutions. As a result of these practices many Indian children were losing their cultural identity, while the tribes were losing their greatest resource–the next generation of tribal members. HOW DO I.C.W.A. FAMILY AND CHILD SERVICE PROGRAMS HELP INDIAN FAMILIES? The best interests of Indian children in most cases can be served by strengthening and preserving Indian families. Therefore, the Act provides for the establishment of Indian child and family service programs whose goals are to prevent the breakup of Indian families. They also insure that the permanent removal of an Indian child from parental custody is done as a last resort. WHAT ARE THE ACT’S REGULATIONS FOR DET
