New program promotes cultural identity among First Nations children and youth

At the Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa (CASO) our goal is to foster partnerships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis community organizations to ensure the well-being of children and youth and to strengthen families and the communities in which they live. We work closely with various service providers in Ottawa to resolve past wrongs and move toward a better outcome for all children.

Experts agree that maintaining and supporting a child’s culture is crucial to their development and sense of belonging. For First Nations children and youth in care, that means giving them access to their existing culture and heritage in their daily activities.

If circumstances require a child to be temporarily removed from their family home, CASO recognizes the importance of a smooth transition.

Regardless of the reason children or youth come into care, this period of their lives is most likely confusing and scary. The Ted and Loretta Rogers Foster Care Transition Program is a new initiative undertaken by CASO, to reduce the instability and confusion that occurs when a child makes this transition. Funded by the Children’s Aid Foundation, the program provides “comfort kits” filled with age-specific items to children and youth coming into care. The goal of these comfort kits is to provide the children with a sense of security and well-being in their time of need.

Significant development has been made to ensure that the comfort kits provided are not only age-appropriate but also culturally specific. In other words, First Nations children receive items specific to their cultural identity and traditions; beautiful handmade quilts for infants, medicine pouches with teachings for young children, and dream catchers and smudge kits for older children and teenagers.

It’s important to note that the culturally-specific nature of the program would not be possible if it weren’t for the dedication of aboriginal community partners, who supported the entire process; including Odawa Native Friendship Centre, Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health, Makonsag Aboriginal Head Start, Minwaashin Lodge, Gignul Non-profit Housing Corporation and Tewegan Housing for Aboriginal Youth.

Collaboration with First Nations community partners has helped the program evolve into much more than just comfort kits – it now provides kids with a sense of their cultural identity while staying with a family other than their own.