Canadian native kids at risk of U.S. adoption: Sto:lo advocate

By Robert Freeman

June 25, 2009 / bclocalnews.com

Canadian Indian children in the care of Washington State welfare authorities may be at risk of being adopted out to non-native parents in the American adoption system, says Ernie Crey, a long-time Sto:lo child advocate.

That concern arose after native communities believed the state’s Indian Child Welfare office was slated for closure, and there would no longer be notification of “bands of origin” before a native child is adopted out.

But Joel Odimba, administrator of King County’s department of social and health services, told The Progress last week the closure was “a rumour that got out of control.”

“I can tell you there is no intention to close the office down,” he said. “Our effort is geared toward improving (Indian child welfare) practices in the region.”

He said a “working group” is being formed to review those practices, and he invited participation by Canadian native communities whose children might be in the state’s care.

But Odimba said he had never heard of a Canadian native child adopted out without notification of the band of origin.

“I’ve never heard of any instance where that’s happened,” he said.

Crey agreed the state makes a “concerted effort” to notify Canadian bands, but the authorities don’t always have the information needed in every case involving children with unclear aboriginal backgrounds.

He said there is no guarantee that native children who wind up in the state’s long-term care system won’t be lost to the “American adoption mill” without the community of origin being notified.

“It’s not like a well-oiled machine,” he said. “We’re not at that stage yet.”

Crey, who co-authored a book about the experience of native children adopted by non-native families called Stolen From Our Embrace, said he would agree to sit on the working group as a Canadian representative.

“I want to get a handle on how many kids there may be of Canadian origin from the Fraser Valley and the rest of B.C. in care in Washington State,” he said.

King County has the “highest rate” of disproportionality in the state, meaning there’s a disproportionate number of native and Afro-American children in care.

An Afro-American Child Welfare office was closed last year, sparking concern for the Indian Child Welfare Office, although the handling of native children in care is governed by specific federal laws.

Some Washington State native groups feared the “review” was an excuse to close the ICW office, which they claim is under-staffed and under-funded.

A state ombudsman’s report in 2006 recommended ICW offices be “well staffed” and “adequately supervised” to ensure compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act.

“Sufficient time must be provided for the agency to make necessary tribal inquiries,” the report said, to provide tribes with required notice, allow tribal intervention in court proceedings and identify remedial and rehabilitative programs available in native communities.