Discussing '60's scoop' may change welfare system

People warn Bernadette Iahtail that revisiting the "60's Scoop" welfare system will result in her "just opening a can of worms."

But the president and co-founder of The Creating Hope for the Future society knows healing is needed as a result of the damaging 1960's and '70's government practice of breaking up families to place children in often non-native foster homes.

The feisty woman and her board welcomed more than 180 people to the Creating Hope for the Future gathering from Nov. 3 to 5 ian Edmonton. Former child welfare workers during the scoop era, current child welfare policy makers and child welfare workers were invited to listen to the shared stories of Aboriginal people served by the child welfare system four decades ago.

"One of the things we're recognizing is that we're into third generation child welfare so we want to bring awareness to that," said Iahtail. "It's become a symptom that we've become so institutionalized and we can't take care of our children, so this gathering is a continuation of healing."

According to Iahtail, Canada's 60's scoop refers to the era when apprehensions of First Nation and Metis children reached an unprecedented scale. Children were literally scooped from their families and communities without their caretaker's knowledge or consent.

The first evening of the gathering was a 'meet and greet' opportunity, while Saturday and Sunday featured mainly sharing circles and group prayers. In the circles, a talking stick was passed around, historically used in traditional council circles to designate who has the right to speak. The stick is passed around until everyone who wishes to speak has done so.

Iahtail hoped to have more 60's and 70's welfare "scoop-ees" attend but she was satisfied with 187 who registered, "just as long as we get this out." She understands why some people are a bit apprehensive about this initiative because the history of the 'scoop' is so painful, and the loss is so great.

"I tell them that we have to do this because we're into third generation child welfare ? 55 per cent of Aboriginal children are in care ? and we need to break that cycle," said Iahtail.

According to Statistics from the Department of Indian Affairs, a total of 11,132 status Indian children were adopted between the years of 1960 and 1990. Of those adopted, 70 per cent were adopted into non-Native homes.

Through research, Iahtail said she is beginning to understand that the 60's scoop is quite similar to residential school.

"The only difference is that residential school was done as a group, and foster care was done individually.

"It was a system to break-up the families, to separate them from their culture and place them in non-native homes," Iahtail said shaking her head. "What's really comparable between the residential schools and the 60's scoop was that there were a lot of kids left without a community and most importantly a broken relationship with their parents and siblings."

The intent of Creating Hope Society is to identify the views and beliefs of service providers that factored into the ongoing oppression of Aboriginal children. The process should involve both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal caregivers and service providers to work together to achieve understanding of childcare and stop the damaging practices of care.

"The majority of Aboriginal families have been affected by child welfare one way or the other, either directly or indirectly and it needs to stop," said Iahtail.

For more information on Creating Hope Society, visit www.creatinghope.ca.