September 2024Vol. 25, No. 7Curriculum Guidance for Working With American Indian and Alaska Native Families

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children and families are part of a historically marginalized population that has faced disproportionate outcomes and experiences in child welfare. Addressing these disparities requires child welfare professionals to recognize the cultural values and histories that shape AI/AN communities and integrate this knowledge into their practice. In recognition of this need, the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute offers an Integrated Curriculum Guide for Social Work Practice With American Indians and Alaska Natives in Child Welfare.

The guide is designed to help university social work programs either implement or improve guidance for working with AI/AN families. It provides tools to help social work students learn about and understand the following topics:

• Tribal sovereignty and federal policy that affects social work practice with AI/AN children and families
• Tribal self-determination and its impact on social services delivery
• Practice-based historical and present challenges, strengths, and resilience

In increasing knowledge of those topics, the guide aims to contribute to the following systemwide goals:

• Help professionals be respectful and attentive to AI/AN foundational core values, cultural pathways, families, and communities
• Decolonize western practices and incorporate different ways of practice that involve shared decision-making, collaborative learning approaches, and strong tribal and community engagement
• Employ historical and contemporary Indigenous practices that have contributed to the resilience of AI/AN populations

The guide provides a framework for working with AI/AN families based on the Council of Social Work Education’s Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. The curriculum is organized by nine competencies from the standards:

1. Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior
2. Advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice
3. Engage anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion in practice
4. Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice
5. Engage in policy practice
6. Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities
7. Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities
8. Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities
9. Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities

Explore the guide on the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute website.