Between the 1960s and 1980s, a large number of Indigenous children were taken from their families in Canada and placed in the child welfare system.
This practice is known as the "60s Scoop."
The act of removing Indigenous children from their communities dates back to the establishment of Canada, originally through the residential school system.
Residential schools aimed at assimilating Indigenous kids and addressing what was referred to as "Canada's Indian problem."
The 60s Scoop
The practice intensified in the 1960s when provinces began taking significant numbers of Indigenous children into care.
The term "60 Scoop" was coined by a BC social worker who described the act as literally scooping children from their parents.
Decisions were often made by non-Indigenous social workers unfamiliar with Indigenous cultures or family structures, notably the role of extended families.
Social challenges like poverty were often misinterpreted as justification for removing children.
Many parents who had experienced trauma from residential schools sought help from social services themselves.
Statistical Impact
There was a dramatic increase in Indigenous children entering the child welfare system during this era.
In British Columbia, First Nations children comprised less than 1% of those in foster care in the early 1950s, increasing to 34% a decade later.
Similar trends were observed across other provinces.
Adoption and Cultural Impact
Programs like Saskatchewan’s AIM (Adopt Indian and Métis) advertised Indigenous children for adoption through media.
Most adopted children were placed with white families, both within Canada and internationally.
The exact number of children adopted during this period remains unknown.
Many adoptions were unsuccessful:
One-fifth of adoptions failed by age 15.
Half failed by age 17.
Government and Community Response
By the 1980s, the government began to recognize the severe impact of the Sixty Scoop.
A 1985 report by a Manitoba judge characterized the process as cultural genocide.
The trauma and harm from this period persist, affecting families and communities:
Survivors report abuse while in care.
They face ongoing struggles with trauma, loss of family, identity, language, culture, and history.
Ongoing Issues
Many survivors lack information about their origins and seek to reconnect with biological families.
The government has promised compensation to survivors, though not all affected individuals are included.
Indigenous children continue to be disproportionately represented in the child welfare system today, making up over half of the children in care in Canada.