Non-Indigenous Foster Parent with an Indigenous Child: Cultural Obligations in Saskatchewan

Over 80% of children in Saskatchewan's provincial care system are Indigenous. If you become a licensed foster parent with the Ministry of Social Services, the statistical likelihood is that a child placed with you will be Cree, Dene, Nakoda, Saulteaux, or Métis — even if you are not.

This is not a comfortable fact for the system to sit with. It sits at the intersection of child protection, reconciliation, and the ongoing legacy of policies that deliberately severed Indigenous children from their families and communities. Being a non-Indigenous foster parent to an Indigenous child is not wrong — the system needs more caring homes — but it comes with legally enforceable cultural obligations that the Ministry takes seriously, and that you need to understand before you accept a placement.

What the Law Actually Requires

Saskatchewan's child welfare framework has two binding authorities on this question.

The Child and Family Services Act (CFSA) mandates that all placement decisions treat the "Best Interests of the Child" as the paramount consideration. Section 4(2) adds specific mandatory considerations for Indigenous children: preserving cultural identity, maintaining connections to the child's specific First Nation, Métis community, or Inuit community, and supporting the child's relationship with their territory.

Federal Bill C-92 — "An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families" — was affirmed as constitutionally valid by the Supreme Court of Canada in February 2024. It establishes national minimum standards that apply to all placements of Indigenous children across Canada, including Saskatchewan. Under C-92, Indigenous communities have the inherent right to exercise jurisdiction over their own child and family services. Where an Indigenous Governing Body has an active coordination agreement with the province — as Cowessess First Nation does — their laws can supersede provincial law.

For you as a non-Indigenous caregiver, this translates into concrete expectations.

The Cultural Plan: What It Is and Your Role in It

Every Indigenous child in care in Saskatchewan should have a Cultural Plan — a document that outlines how their connection to their culture, language, and community will be maintained during their time in care. This is not optional paperwork; it is a requirement under both the CFSA and federal standards.

A Cultural Plan typically includes:

• The child's specific First Nation, Métis community, or Inuit affiliation
• Key cultural practices, ceremonies, or seasonal events that matter to the child and their community
• Language goals — for example, maintaining exposure to Cree or Dene words and stories
• A named First Nations Representative, Elder, or cultural support person who will work with the child
• How and how often the child will maintain contact with their birth family and extended community
• Your specific commitments as the caregiver to facilitate these connections

You will be asked to sign off on this plan and you are expected to honor it. That means actively facilitating — not just passively permitting — the child's cultural life. If there is a powwow in your region, you drive them. If an Elder has been designated to meet with the child monthly, you make that appointment happen. If the child's community holds a ceremony and the family wants them there, you support that visit.

If a Cultural Plan has not been prepared for a child in your care, raise it with your caseworker directly. The absence of a plan is a gap in the child's care, not an indication that cultural connection is unimportant.

Cross-Cultural Training in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan's PRIDE training curriculum includes content on cultural identity and the history of Indigenous children in the care system. You will learn about the intergenerational effects of residential schools and the 60s Scoop, and why these histories shape how First Nations families interact with the Ministry today.

But PRIDE is a foundation, not a complete education. The Saskatchewan Foster Families Association (SFFA) offers additional training modules and workshops on culturally responsive caregiving. Some First Nations delegated agencies also run their own information sessions for non-Indigenous caregivers who are supporting children from their communities.

Cross-cultural training for foster parents in Saskatchewan should cover:

• Understanding the specific cultural practices of the child's nation, not just "Indigenous culture" generally — a Cree family's protocols are not identical to a Nakoda family's
• The difference between kinship-based decision-making and Western parenting norms, and how this affects family visits and community involvement
• How to communicate with First Nations child and family services workers as a collaborative partner, not just as the placement household
• Trauma responses in children who have experienced displacement from community, and how cultural reconnection supports healing

If the Ministry or your agency is not providing this training, ask. The SFFA (1-800-667-7002) can point you toward resources specific to your region.

Working with First Nations Delegated Agencies

Saskatchewan has 17 to 19 First Nations delegated agencies — organizations that have been given authority by the provincial government to provide child protection and foster care services to their specific community members. If the child in your care is a member of a First Nation, there is a high probability that a worker from one of these agencies is involved in the case, even if the Ministry of Social Services (MSS) is nominally the guardian.

This matters because you may be receiving direction from two sources: your MSS caseworker and a worker from the relevant First Nations agency. Understanding whose instructions take precedence on which issues — and not assuming MSS always has the final word — is part of navigating the two-stream system.

Key agencies in Saskatchewan include:

• Saskatoon Tribal Council Health & Family Services — urban Saskatoon and member nations
• Peter Ballantyne Child & Family Services — Prince Albert, Pelican Narrows, Sandy Bay
• MLTC Health & Social Development — Meadow Lake region, nine member nations
• Lac La Ronge Indian Band Child & Family Agency — La Ronge and northern communities
• Agency Chiefs Child & Family Services — Big River, Pelican Lake, Witchekan Lake

Your caseworker should tell you at placement which agency, if any, has jurisdiction over the child's case. If that has not been made clear, ask directly.

The Placement Priority Hierarchy

Under both provincial and federal law, placement preference for Indigenous children follows a specific hierarchy:

1. A member of the child's immediate family
2. A member of the child's extended family or kinship network
3. A member of the child's First Nation, Métis community, or Inuit community
4. Another Indigenous person who can support cultural continuity
5. A non-Indigenous caregiver who is committed to cultural continuity

Non-Indigenous placements are the last resort, not the default. If you are offered a placement with an Indigenous child, it means the system has not found a suitable match within the community — which happens frequently, particularly in urban centers where the foster home shortage is acute. Your role in that situation is to provide safety and care while actively supporting the child's connection to their own people.

This is a significant responsibility. Not every foster parent is suited to it, and it is better to be honest about your capacity before a placement than after.

What Cultural Continuity Looks Like in Practice

Saying yes to an Indigenous placement should mean saying yes to the cultural work that comes with it. In practice, that might mean driving 90 minutes to attend a powwow, hosting visits from an Elder or cultural liaison, facilitating regular phone calls with extended family, or learning a few words in the child's language so they hear it recognized.

Being present but not dominant at cultural events — your role is to support, not manage — is the practical mindset. The children who thrive in cross-cultural placements are those whose caregivers took the Cultural Plan seriously and built genuine relationships with the child's community.

The Saskatchewan Foster Care Guide covers the cultural planning process in detail, including how to work with First Nations Representatives and navigate the two-stream MSS and First Nations agency system. Get the complete toolkit at adoptionstartguide.com/ca/saskatchewan/foster-care/.

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