National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA)

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National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) Protecting our children, Preserving our culture
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The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) is a national voice for American Indian and Alaska Native children and families. We are the most comprehensive source of information on American Indian child welfare and the only national American Indian organization focused specifically on the tribal capacity to prevent and respond to child abuse and neglect and related issues. NICWA works to support compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, which seeks to keep American Indian children with American Indian families. NICWA improves the lives of American Indian children and families by helping tribes and other service providers implement services that are culturally competent, community-based, and focused on the strengths and assets of families. This work includes collaborating with tribal and urban Indian child welfare programs to increase their service capacity, enhancing tribal-state relationships, and providing training, technical assistance, information services and alliance building.

Support for Youth in and Aging Out of Care provides Native youth with tips, advice, and resources to help navigate out-o...
10/21/2026

Support for Youth in and Aging Out of Care provides Native youth with tips, advice, and resources to help navigate out-of-home placements and the transition out of foster care. While this can feel daunting, there are many opportunities to receive support, get assistance, and advocate for yourself as you plan for your life beyond. Our resource acts as a starting point you can build upon to best support your needs during this process.

Link in comments 🔗

A new proposal on public records schedules suggests major impacts to historical and important records for Tribes. Curren...
10/19/2026

A new proposal on public records schedules suggests major impacts to historical and important records for Tribes. Currently, many records in Indian Affairs are kept permanently, but in the new proposal to the Indian Affairs Records Schedule by the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration, those files could be marked as “temporary” and eventually destroyed.

Most Indian Affairs records, including important ICWA documents, will be destroyed at 50 years. The cut-off clock for these cases start once the case closes, so many of the documents will be considered expired and removed if this proposal passes.

Active efforts in child custody proceedings are just one of the reasons ICWA is considered the “gold standard” of child ...
10/16/2026

Active efforts in child custody proceedings are just one of the reasons ICWA is considered the “gold standard” of child welfare. These efforts (different than the standard “reasonable efforts”) are tailored to the individual needs of families and include incorporating culturally relevant services, identifying ways to overcome barriers, and supporting regular visits with parents and ongoing participation with relatives.

Don’t miss your chance to present at the premier annual gathering of Tribal child welfare workers in Albuquerque, NM!Do ...
10/14/2026

Don’t miss your chance to present at the premier annual gathering of Tribal child welfare workers in Albuquerque, NM!

Do you have promising practices, ground-breaking programs, or inspired advocacy to share? We would love to hear it at NICWA’s 45th Annual Protecting Our Children Conference.

Questions? View our informational webinar on our website or reach out to us at [email protected]. Presentations must be submitted by October 30 to be considered!

This Indigenous Peoples' Day, we'd like to thank the amazing champions in our communities who dedicate themselves to imp...
10/12/2026

This Indigenous Peoples' Day, we'd like to thank the amazing champions in our communities who dedicate themselves to improving the well-being of Indigenous children and families. Your advocacy, leadership, and service make a generational impact and deserves to be celebrated.

That is why NICWA presents an individual and an organization with our highest annual honor, the Champion for Native Children Award. This award recognizes their outstanding contributions to the well-being of Indigenous children, families, and communities across the United States.

Te’Ata Loper and the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe Social Services Department were awarded this year for their incredible work, and we are currently accepting nominations for our 2027 champions. Help us celebrate those whose achievements are making positive change in Indian Country!

Click the 🔗link in the comments to learn more.

10/09/2026

Being raised connected to family, community, and culture benefits all children. For Angie's great-nephew, rebuilding those relationships after returning to the care of his family meant gaining a stronger sense of belonging and identity. Being nurtured by those bonds and his heritage supported his personal and academic growth and gave him the confidence within himself to succeed.

You can watch the full interview (🔗 linked in the comments) to learn about the importance of cultural connectedness and kinship care for Native youth.

Thank you to Angie for sharing her lived experiences as a relative caregiver and our partner, the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network, for your support in the creation of this series.

Your donor-advised fund (DAF) grant supports our work to advocate for Native families, strengthen child welfare services...
10/08/2026

Your donor-advised fund (DAF) grant supports our work to advocate for Native families, strengthen child welfare services, and uphold Tribal sovereignty. Together, we can continue building a brighter tomorrow for Tribal communities to thrive and where all Native children are raised connected to their cultures and families.

To help break down important information in the 2016 ICWA regulations ruling and subsequent guidelines, NICWA developed ...
10/07/2026

To help break down important information in the 2016 ICWA regulations ruling and subsequent guidelines, NICWA developed summary resources. Designed as useful tools, both documents make information accessible for child welfare workers, Tribes, and courts and for families navigating the law.

📄Summary of Key Provisions—Provides brief descriptions of the comprehensive federal regulations and requirements for implementing ICWA.

📄Summary of the ICWA Guidelines—Covers the BIA's guidelines for interpreting the ICWA regulations and best practices for implementation.

🔗Links to these resources are provided in the comments.

Today’s Supreme Court announcement that the Court will not hear a challenge to ICWA came as no surprise. The constitutio...
10/05/2026

Today’s Supreme Court announcement that the Court will not hear a challenge to ICWA came as no surprise. The constitutionality of ICWA was upheld in Haaland v. Brackeen in June 2023. We will continue to defend ICWA in the interest of Native children and Tribal Nations.

🔗 We've linked a press statement from our Protect ICWA Campaign partners in the comments.

Address

6720 S Macadam Avenue , Ste. 150
Portland, OR
97219

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+15032224044

Website

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