All Child Welfare & Crimes Against Children in Independence

Tribes across the country regard children as their most precious resource and consider the impact on future generations when making important community decisions. However, children’s well-being is often threatened by poverty, child abuse and neglect, exposure to family and community violence, lack of emotional and financial support from non-custodial parents, and exposure to substance abuse. Many of these difficulties are intergenerational in nature and arise from the profoundly negative impacts of colonization on Native families. But tribal leaders have made significant strides in supporting and protecting children and families through initiatives such as holistic, culturally-informed child welfare practice, interagency collaboration, parenting programs, child advocacy centers, child support enforcement programs, and efforts to educate community members and prevent harm to children from occurring in the first place.