UNDERSTANDING AND COUNTERING RACISM WITH FIRST NATIONS CHILDREN IN OUT-OF-HOME CARE

Although First Nations communities in Canada are increasingly taking c ontrol of their own child welfare services, their children are still o verrepresented in out-of-home care. First Nations children are frequen tly placed in non-Native environments where they encounter racist atti tudes and behaviors. This situation originated in assimilation policie s in which governments removed First Nations children from their famil ies, placing them in residential schools, and later, in non-Native fos ter or adoptive homes. This article suggests ways for social workers a nd foster carers to combat racism, both individually and by supporting the initiatives of First Nations people to regain control of their ow n children.