ATTENION: NH Families with Indian Heritage-Children Removed by NH DCYF?

ATTENION: NH Families with Indian Heritage-Children Removed by NH DCYF?

Sent to unhappygrammy by a Concerned citizen

Looking for NH Families with Indian heritage whose children were removed by NH DCYF without contacting the NH/Maine Indian Counsel, even after being told of the family's Indian ethnicity and placed the children in foster care, not abiding by the Indian Child Welfare Act.
The Indian Child Welfare Act specifically states relative placement preference for Native American children. We are well aware NH DCYF does NOT follow Federal Government mandates in seeking or even considering relatives in the placement of the children they remove. The Indian Counsel will not stand for the illegal placement of these children with Indian ethnicity, nor will they stand for NH DCYF's failure to contact the Indian Counsel when a child is taken into state custody.
If you believe your family has an Indian heritage, or are sure you have an Indian heritage and NH DCYF was informed, please contact unhappygrammy and she will contact me. We must band together to make sure The Indian Child Welfare Act is adhered to.

Indian Child Welfare Act (25 U.S.C.§1901 et seq.:) Passed by Congress in 1978, this Act is aimed at preserving Native American families and tribes. The Act:

· establishes legal standards for removal of Native American children from their families,
· represents a placement preference for Native American children who are placed outside their parents' home, giving priority to relatives and members of the child's tribe; and
· requires notification to the parent or Native American custodian and the Native American child's tribe when a Native American child is placed involuntarily into out-of-home care, including foster care or adoption placement.