Native American social work – Including family and community

Shanley Swanson,Merete Saus,Reidunn H Nygård

doi:10.1177/14680173211009177

Shanley Swanson, Merete Saus + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/14680173211009177

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Abstract

Summary This study investigates family involvement and culturally informed social work in Native American communities. The study was conducted in Native American communities in Montana, USA. Twenty-three Native American social work professionals participated in qualitative interviews. Analyses draw on theory of historical trauma and family involvement in indigenous social. Throughout the study, indigenous methodology has been a central principle. Findings Among social workers, there is a common understanding that social work should involve family and community if it is to be culturally informed. Social work professionals talk of family involvement in indigenous social work as “common sense.” For the Native American social work professionals interviewed, the following tenets are all “common sense”: (1) family and community belonging are important aspects of Native American culture; 2) oppression and colonization had a negative impact on family, community, and tribal relations; and (3) social work has an obligation to restore family, community, and tribal relations. Application Social work has a responsibility to connect culture, trauma, and the resolution of trauma. Furthermore, family and community involvement plays a core part in restoration and resilience processes, healing historical trauma caused by the colonization. Hence, in order to provide culturally competent care, social work practices serving Native American clients should involve family and community. Mainstream social work does not sufficiently build on family involvement as an ideological foundation for qualitatively good social work. We argue that social work curricula impacting Native clients could benefit from the experience and knowledge of these Native American social workers.

Highlights

This article seeks to reveal and highlight indigenous family involvement in decision-making within social service provision and child welfare in Montana
In interviews with Native American social work professionals, we find that there is an agreement that social work should involve families
In the interviews with Native American social work professionals, we found that there is a general agreement that social work should actively involve families

Summary

Introduction

This article seeks to reveal and highlight indigenous family involvement in decision-making within social service provision and child welfare in Montana. Researchers advocate that family and community involvement is relevant for social work in indigenous communities (Belone et al, 2002; DrywaterWhitekiller, 2014; Gray et al, 2007; Henriksen, 2004; Herzberg, 2013; O’Neill & Gonzalez, 2014; Stewart, 2008). Indigenous communities and researchers are searching for new ways of organizing social work to make it more culturally appropriate (Bennett et al, 2011; Gray et al, 2013; Herring et al, 2013; J€arvensivu et al, 2016). This study is a contribution to this aim, regarding the relevance of family and community involvement in indigenous social work. We investigate Native American social workers perceptions of the relevance of family involvement in cultural informed social services

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