Indigenous Practice
Working Within Communities
The Alliance, working within and on the homelands of Indigenous peoples, is committed to allyship with the 29 federally recognized Tribes in Washington and many others still fighting for recognition. We see you and respect your right to sovereignty and self-determination, and stand in solidarity with you and your communities.
As part of the Partnership, the Alliance collaborates with the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), and Washington Tribes and communities to improve the expertise of the state’s child welfare workers and the skills of those caring for adoptive and foster children. The Centennial Accord outlines the guiding principles on which this work is established. The Alliance has made a commitment to improving our collaboration with Indigenous communities and their members as well as evolving our Indigenous content.
How to partner with us
We are committed to fostering a supportive growth-focused environment and our work will always be done through the lens of inclusivity and equity, and success measured by the continued engagement of individuals and advancement of the organization in areas guided by ongoing strategic planning.
If you are interested in partnering on curriculum development or knowledge sharing please connect with us via the Contact page.
Resources
In the interest of increasing the circle of support for Indigenous children, youth and families, we seek and share tools from partners across the country.
Tribal Court Clearinghouse: This project from the Tribal Law and Policy Institute outlines the legal elements of ICWA and resources around data, advocacy and more.
NICWA: The National Indian Child Welfare Association provides multiple resources on topics such as ICWA advocacy, Tribal leadership and policy.
Tools from Tribes: This is a space for Tribal child welfare professionals to easily share with their peers commonly used forms, agreements, tools, and templates.
Skill development
For more information on courses we offer that work to build skills and capacity for Washington state social workers who work with Tribes and communities, visit our Inclusive Practice page.
The Alliance provides trainings for Tribal workers. All of the trainings available for our state workers and caregivers are also available to you at the Tribe and your staff. Our trainings are instructor-led (via webinar or classroom) and via independent eLearnings. We do ask that anyone interested in attending our trainings create a profile on our course platform Ethos.
Mandatory reporting
Professionals who interact often with children are obligated to report concerns about abuse or neglect.
Learn more about the Alliance’s specialized, in-depth eLearning that will guide you through the process of identifying and documenting those concerns.