Keeping Their Spirit Strong: Understanding Trauma in Indigenous Children in Foster Care

Description

(June 2025) 

This session is designed for foster parents caring for Indigenous children involved in state foster care systems. It offers a grounding in how trauma, especially when layered with the loss of culture, community, and identity, affects indigenous children. We’ll talk about how historical trauma and intergenerational trauma continues to shape families today, how these traumas show up in behavior, development, and relationships, and how to respond in ways that promote connection, healing, and cultural identity. Using stories and reflection, this conversation centers Indigenous world views, and calls attention to the responsibility of systems and professionals to protect, not only children’s safety, but their spirit and sense of belonging.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe how historical and intergenerational trauma affect the well-being of Indigenous children in foster care.
• Identify common trauma responses in Indigenous youth, and how these may be misinterpreted or mishandled in systems.
• Explore culturally grounded strategies to support resilience, connection, and healing for indigenous children in care.

Kimee Wind-Hummingbird, MSW, (Muscogee), Training and Technical Assistance Manager, National Native Children’s Trauma Center

Kimee Wind-Hummingbird, a citizen of the Muscogee Nation with Cherokee descendancy, served the youth and families in the Child and Family programs of her two Nations for 22 years before joining the University of Montana’s National Native Children’s Trauma Center in 2021.

In addition to considerable experience in Tribal Program administration, development and enhancement, she also has extensive expertise on the Indian Child Welfare Act. Kimee has trained and consulted with both tribal and non-Tribal partners including Judges, Attorneys, State Child Welfare Agencies, Native Nations Child Welfare Programs, Juvenile Justice Agencies, Schools and Native Nations Healthcare Facilities throughout the US and Canada. She also participated in an International Child Welfare Exchange in Israel discussing child welfare issues affecting communities across the globe. Her focus across all of her professional activities has been keeping Indigenous families connected to their Nation, Culture, and Community. Kimee has always lived on the Muscogee reservation in Oklahoma where she enjoys spending time with her three adult daughters and two granddaughters.

Watch time: 66 minutes

Eligible Certificate of Completion time: 60 minutes