The CWSE5020 course provides an overview of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) federal legislation, its history and its application in practice to include identification of an Indian child, ICWA eligibility, sending notice to the federally recognized tribes, active efforts and placement preferences. This course can be taken at your own pace and is approximately 75 minutes in length. There is a quiz to test your knowledge at the end with a certificate upon successful completion.
It is important when first engaging tribal families to gain awareness of historical and intergenerational experiences which are essential to begin understanding the challenges tribal families and communities face. VDSS recommends that you first take the CWE5020 Introduction to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) before taking this eLearning module to provide a well-rounded understanding of the origins of the ICWA, to include the historical and intergenerational trauma experienced by Native people in the U.S. The course is approximately 60 minutes in length. There is a quiz to test your knowledge at the end with a certificate upon successful completion.
The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) of 1978 is Federal law that governs the removal and out-of-home placement of American Indian children. ICWA established standards for the placement of Indian children in foster and adoptive homes and enabled Tribes and families to be involved in child welfare cases. Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) has 11 state and federally recognized tribes. There has been renewed engagement with our tribal partners as the Commonwealth continues to build bridges with tribal communities. The collaboration with these 11 tribes has proven to be invaluable for continued dialogue, partnership, and to identify additional avenues for VDSS to support tribes.
Learn more about Virginia's recognized tribes.
Click here for more information on ICWA.
Meeting Minutes & Agenda
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2023
2022
2021
