Tribal Courts and Child Welfare: Overcoming Challenges to Working with States

Child Welfare Information Gateway

This episode, 'Overcoming Challenges to Working With States', is part of a series featuring the work of Tribal Court Improvement Program grantees. The episode shares examples of Tribal court and Tribal child welfare agencies navigating legal and jurisdictional challenges from the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, told by Tribal social services court staff, respectively. Some of the topics discussed include: Ensuring States and Tribes understand the full relevance and application of ICWA The importance of establishing a child welfare compact between Tribes and States How instituting mandatory communication channels keep Tribal social service and court staff engaged with Tribal families and ensure State counterparts of Tribal services and supports that may be available