A new national survey led by the Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) is elevating what Indigenous young people say they needed — but too often didn’t get — while in foster care: culturally rooted support, clear information about their rights, and a real say in decisions that shape their lives. The anonymous questionnaire, which drew responses from more than 50 current and former Native foster youth across several states, is believed to be the first of its kind. Early findings have already been shared with at least one state child welfare agency and will feed into a formal report.
CNAY — a national advocacy and education organization housed at the Aspen Institute — launched the project to address a longstanding gap: Native youth are overrepresented in the child welfare system yet marginalized in policy conversations about their needs. Respondents underscored that safety cannot be separated from cultural identity, language, and connection to tribal communities, and urged child welfare workers to recognize the continuing impact of historical harms when making case decisions.
Many young people also reported confusion about their rights and uneven understanding of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) — the 1978 federal law that, among other safeguards, prioritizes placement with Indigenous relatives and requires “active efforts” to keep tribal families together. Some respondents said they weren’t sure when ICWA applied, especially if they weren’t enrolled or lived away from their communities, pointing to the need for clearer guidance and consistent practice.
Former foster youth and CNAY child welfare consultant Roxy Sprowl, a citizen of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe, said the preliminary results mirror her own experience. She emphasized that “active efforts” must go beyond contacting the first relative on a list, and that stronger ICWA implementation could help prevent the isolation so many Native youth describe when placed in non-Native settings.
What’s next: CNAY closed the survey at the end of July and is preparing a public report. The findings are also being used to build training that equips Native former foster youth to advocate for reforms in practice and policy. Tribal and state staff who previewed the early results — including leaders like Isleta Pueblo social services director Jacqueline Yalch — stressed that youth expertise must be built into decision-making, not treated as an afterthought.
Takeaways for agencies and advocates: Treat culture as a core safety factor, not a bonus; brief every Native youth on their rights and ICWA’s protections; involve tribes and extended kin proactively; and create formal roles for youth with lived experience to shape policy and practice. These steps, respondents say, are essential to repairing trust and preventing the long-term harm caused when Indigenous identity is sidelined in foster care.