who we are
About NICWA
NICWA is the only national membership organization that works to support the safety, health, and spiritual strength of American Indian and Alaska Native children along the broad continuum of their lives. We support tribes in building the capacity to prevent child abuse and neglect through positive systems change at the state, federal, and tribal levels.
News from NICWA
HHS Final AFCARS Rule Impacts Data Collection for American Indian and Alaska Native Children
The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) Final Rule from the Department of Health and Human...
NICWA News | Spring 2020
Read the newest edition of our quarterly newsletter, NICWA News. Click here to read the Spring issue alongside...
Completing the Census for Foster Children during the Coronavirus Pandemic
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, tribal human services were stretched thin and significantly under-resourced. Human...
who we are
Heart of ICWA
The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) protects American Indian and Alaska Native kids in child welfare proceedings by keeping them in the care of extended families or tribes whenever possible. ICWA protects identity, familial network, and sense of belonging-things that all children need. In this multi-part digital storytelling series, The Heart of ICWA, families convey firsthand what happens when the basic protections of ICWA are followed and the devastating consequences when families and children are deprived of these basic rights.