60s Scoop

Sixties Scoop Up (1960s – 1980s) What is it? - mass removal of Aboriginal children from their families into the child welfare system -in many cases children were literally “SCOOPED” from their homes and communities without: -consent of their families -any reason Why? -gov’t / social workers were instructed to remove FN children under the assumption that: FN people were unable to adequately care for their children

Sixties Scoop Up Cont’d.. Scoop Up Statistics: Scoop Up Statistics: -1951: 29 Aboriginal children were in provincial care in BC -1964: 1,466 -between 1960 and 1990 there were 11,132 children in care the actual number is much higher b/c Metis and non-status were not counted -Aboriginal children comprised only 1% of the “child population” but made up 34% of the children in care population Approximately 70 percent of the children apprehended were placed into non-Aboriginal homes

Sixties Scoop Up Cont’d.. The Effect: -many of the children experienced alienation, neglect or abuse in their foster homes -many face cultural and identify confusion as a result of not knowing where they came from -many never saw their families again -there were very little efforts to keep children connected to family / culture / community

Sixties Scoop Up Cont’d.. Today: -many scoop up survivors are now adults and trying to reunite with their birth families and communities -finding biological parents is very difficult because adoption papers are permanently sealed (no access allowed) -many records were inaccurate and falsified (ex: names of the biological family member were replaced with the names of the adoptive parents) Aboriginal Children in Care today: -gov’t has created an “Aboriginal Ministry of Children and Families”  composed of Aboriginal social workers -Aboriginal social workers try to ensure Aboriginal children are placed: *with a suitable FAMILY member OR *with an Aboriginal family OR * non-aboriginal family but have regular cultural enrichment opportunities