Upcoming Events • April 2007 • October 2005
25th Annual "Protecting Our Children" National American Indian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect
Reconciliation in Child Welfare: Touchstones of Hope for Indigenous Children, Youth, and Families
April 15 - 18, 2007
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Summary by Matt Morton
The 25th anniversary of the "Protecting Our Children" National American Indian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect was a great success. It has been an honour and privilege for The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) to continue the "Protecting Our Children" conference that was first conceptualized and hosted by then executive director of the American Indian Institute, Anita Chisholm. The conference took place in Oklahoma City, where the conference's first gathering took place. We enjoyed beautiful spring weather and met with many wonderful people from around the US and Canada.
This year's conference included 60 workshops combined with collaborative discussion groups. Topics presented were based on partnership, advocacy, ICWA compliance, and data and research. Attendees got a chance to engage in a plenary discussion led by NICWA's Executive Director, Terry Cross, joined by Jocelyn Formsma (NICWA board member/National Association of Friendship Centres), Cindy Blackstock (executive director, First Nations Child and Family Caring Society), John George (senior consultant, Child Welfare League of America), Sandy Whitehawk (First Nations Orphan Association), and Michael Udy (executive director, Batshaw Youth and Family Centres).
Generous support was received by many different sponsors of this year's conference. We saw a record number of sponsorship this year! Whether it was a tribal contribution, an agency, an organization, or a single person donating his or her time ,- all of this added to a wonderful outpouring of helping hands and open hearts.
The conference ended with a luncheon banquet, where Jocelyn Formsma of the National Association of Friendship Centres presented on behalf of the indigenous youth perspective. NICWA is proud to have Jocelyn join its board of directors. We look forward to working with her more closely, and to the input she will have on behalf of our youth.
NICWA is already working toward the 26th Annual "Protecting Our Children" National American Indian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect taking place April 20-23, 2008 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, MN. Please join us as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act.
For more information on being part of the "Protecting Our Children" conference, please contact NICWA offices at 503.222.4044.