Understanding the 60s Scoop in Canada

Aug 30, 2024

The 60s Scoop: A Historical Overview

Background

  • 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.