Counseling First Nations Parents - Essay Example

Running Head: First Nations Counseling First Nations Parents for Better Outcomes of Children College First Nations individuals, usually found in or near Canada, are often the subject of debate. How these individuals should be treated, especially the welfare of the children, is a major concern. This essay will briefly review the history of the First Nations people, and discuss, from a counseling standpoint, how they can be helped. Introduction The term Aboriginal is a common word used when referring to First Nations individuals. Aboriginal literally means away from normal. Since that is the way First Nations people are seen, it is no wonder that is how they have been treated. Herein, this essay will discuss who the First Nations people really are, how they got a reputation that has inspired fear and unease, and what should be done to help the people so that they are effective, healthy members of our society – and on some of their own terms – so that children can grow up and have a less difficult time assimilating than their parents have had. History Although every source gives a varying number, it seems that there are more than 1.5 million First Nations people living in the Canadian area. There is also much debate about how long they’ve been there, and what their rights actually are. For starters, First Nations people have long-since claimed that their territories are being encroached upon by Canadian development, with no compensation given to them for land that that they believe is rightfully theirs. Over the years, many types of council have been developed to aid them. The Congress of Aboriginal People, Assembly of First Nations (AFN), and Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) are three organizations designed to defend First Nations rights. As well, The Canadian Constitution Act of 1982 also afforded rights to First Nations individuals. Still, in the 1990s, newspapers were rife with information about the lack of assimilation of the First Nations people. It was decided that the First Nations children should attend formal schools, receive standard immunizations, and, in effect, become more like “regular” Canadian people. Mothers claimed that when they refused, their children were taken away from them and put into foster homes. A lot of First Nations people saw this as retaliation for their refusal to move off of their land, or refusal to give their land away to Canadians for little or no monetary compensation. As recently as May 2008, AFN Chief Phil Fontaine wrote, “Aboriginal people in Canada are not getting their rights fully recognized” (Fiddler, 2008). What Is At Stake? Fiddler’s news article discussed the decision made by Parliament, in which “Parliament does not recognize the rights of Indigenous people and brings to question their human rights agenda overall for Aboriginal people” (Fiddler, 2008). According to Fiddler, Parliament still wants to control issues like housing and education of First Nations people. NWAC President Beverly Jacobs said it is essential that the Aboriginal people stay strong and continue fighting for their rights. She said it is important that First Nations individuals don’t give up their rights to their own “culture … identity … language … and ceremonies” (Fiddler, 2008). The Children As it is with any disagreements involving adults, children are usually the ones who end up suffering. Since First Nations people harbor distrust for those unlike themselves, they are less likely to get basic services their children need. It is widely known that First Nations children suffer from poor dentition, and other easily cured diseases. According to the news report, “Children in Basic Need of Better Quality of Life,” Joe Couture wrote, “Aboriginal children continue to lack adequate housing, food, security, clean water, and access to services” (Couture, 2008). Due to this, Couture estimates that “up to 33 percent of those children are living in protective custody in the care of the government” (Couture, 2008). Part of the problem is that parents’ who do take their children for medical treatment, worry that their children will be removed from their custody if something is seriously wrong. Another problem is that even if they are treated and released back into the parents’ custody, it is unlikely that the reservation where they live will be able to continue to provide such services. If services can be found nearby, it can be assumed that the parents will be unable to afford good medical care. Even simple immunizations are a problem for First Nationals. Some of them believe that they shouldn’t be forced to give their children immunizations with unknown side effects. Again, others do not feel that they can afford well care, and, again, others till do not trust non-First National caregivers. Counseling Obviously, these are overwhelming circumstances for a counselor to surmount. Personally, I would begin with the issue of trust. There has to be a way that First Nationals can begin to see that everyone unlike them is not against them. Perhaps, visits in which they are promised that under no circumstances will their children be removed from them, if a counselor or social services worker pays a visit. If parents didn’t feel that their parental rights would be stripped away, they’d probably allow a counselor in for simple fact-finding procedures. If an immediate problem does exist, parents should be made aware of the problem, asked about it, and given some time to fix it. This is not unlike the system of social services in the United States. Very rarely do children’s services workers walk into a family and remove children with no questions asked. As well, when children are removed from a home in the United States, reunification is always the goal. First Nations families should be afforded the same rights. In the interim, other First Nations families should be the most desirable placement. This way, children don’t end up suffering from alienation and depression when taken from their own families and sent to families completely unlike theirs. Couture wrote that there is an “unlimited amount of money to remove children … and almost no funding to support families to be able to keep their children in their home or to retrieve their children once they’ve been apprehended (Couture, 2008). This practice must absolutely cease. Some of the money being spent on tearing families apart can be used to establish small medical facilities on reservations. This would include doctor’s offices, urgent cares, and hospitals. Specifically, these practices need to be staffed with First National and people who are sympathetic to them so that they feel comfortable seeking medical care. Once trustworthy services are established, an awareness campaign is necessary. There is no point in offering a service that no one knows about. Once the services are available, and advertised, some people will take advantage. The people who do take advantage can tell others that the services can be trusted. It isn’t that this is an entirely new concept. Aboriginal Head Start was developed about a decade ago (Couture, 2008) and is having some success. The program is Canadian-funded, but the parents do feel there are some benefits. Couture wrote, “It is essential that Aboriginal people are involved in designing the programs intended to bring quality of life services to children” (Couture, 2008). Having parents see worth is paramount. Choice is also something that needs to be considered. First Nations families aren’t the only families who don’t believe in a specific kind of education or medical care. Some religious groups don’t believe in life saving blood transfusions. Amish children, depending on the state in which they live, only spend a few years in school. Many American families are choosing not to vaccinate their children, just as some First Nations mothers call immunizing “negative experiences” (Tarrant & Gregory, 2002) and it stops them from returning. Most groups are left alone to make the choices they wish. First Nations families should be shown the same courtesies. Conclusion The best way to deal with First Nations families can be summed up in one word – compromise. Great strides need to be taken to understand their culture. Greater strides need to be taken to make sure they are informed of the benefits and consequences of their choices. Then, in the end, they should have the right to make the final decision about their children, when the decisions are not life endangering. Compromise is the best way to stay informed of what they need, and they best want to provide it to them so that they feel they have all the same rights as any other Canadian citizen. References Couture, J. (2008, August). Children in basic need of better quality of life. Windspeaker. Retrieved November 30, 2008 from Academic Research database. Fiddler, C. (2008, May). Government refuse support of UN Declaration on Indigenous rights. Windspeaker. Retrieved November 30, 2008 from Academic Research database. Tarrant, M. & Gregory, D. (2002). Exploring childhood immunization uptake with First Nations mothers in north-western Ontario, Canada. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 41(1), 63-72. Read More