Peer-reviewed article
Nurturing Identity Among Indigenous Youth in Care
Ashley L. Quinn ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This peer-reviewed article examines identity development among Indigenous youth in state care in Canada. It discusses how historical colonization has harmed Indigenous cultures and how youth placed in non-Indigenous care settings struggle with their identity. The article reviews theories of Indigenous identity development and their implications for Indigenous children navigating between two cultural worlds.
Key points
- Indigenous cultures have experienced significant harm since European contact in Canada
- Youth in state care, particularly when placed in non-Indigenous settings, struggle with identity development
- There is a lack of understanding about how Indigenous youth develop their identities
- Indigenous youth in care face the challenge of navigating between two cultures
Limitations
This is a literature review article that does not present empirical data or evaluation of an intervention. It cannot tell us about the effectiveness of specific programs or approaches to support Indigenous youth identity development, nor does it provide quantitative evidence about outcomes.
Abstract
Indigenous cultures have been under significant attack in Canada since first contact with Europeans. This has resulted in significant harm to Indigenous Peoples and particularly to youth in state care, who often struggle with their identity when they are placed in non-Indigenous out-of-home settings. Developing protective ways of countering this is compounded by the lack of understanding of identity development amongst Indigenous youth. This article reviews theories of Indigenous identity development and their implications for Indigenous children, particularly those caught in the nexus of two cultures, as is the case with those in state care.