The Mission of Children and Family Services is to fulfill the social responsibilities and obligations of the Bering Strait Region Tribes. The CFS program is designed to preserve, protect, and strengthen the children and families. The program strives to empower individuals and their families, cultivate nurturing home environments and to educate individuals, families and communities.

Kawerak, Inc. Children and Family Services have a special relationship with the Office of Children’s Services for collaborative family assessment and services through a Dual Track Memorandum of Agreement. Children and Family Services provides services to abused and neglected children and assists Office of Children’s Services (OCS) to achieve cultural competence in the types of services offered to children and families throughout the Bering Strait Region to ensure cultural values are preserved and respected for the benefit of Alaska Native Families. Services include:

*Case management
*Referral to other programs
*Parenting & early childhood development training (individual training and support, self-help materials and classes);
*Training & skill development in health & nutrition
*Stress management training & skill development;
*Assistance in coordinating transportation between communities;
Following services only as appropriate and as resources permit:
*Respite care and arrangements for respite care;
*Ground transportation for clients to & from activates (only if transportation is available);
*Life-skills training and skill development (i.e. individual and family coping, budgeting, housekeeping, etc.);
*Escort clients to placements, treatment, homes & visits;
*Coordination & monitoring visitation between children & their families;
*Home visits with individual families to help the families.

Report Child Abuse and Neglect

If you suspect that a child is being abused or neglected CALL Office of Children’s Services 1-800-770-5247 in Nome or Kawerak, Inc., Children and Family Services 1-800-478-5153.

ICWA

The Indian Child Welfare Act, (ICWA) is the federal law created in 1978 “…to protect the best interests of Indian children and promote the stability and security of Indian families and tribes.” ICWA works to promote the preservation and protection of tribal member children, families and community. If the removal of an Indian child is necessary, the Act assures that efforts are made to preserve cultural ties by placing a child with an Indian family or organization. Tribal Family Coordinators are Para-professionals that reside in their respective communities and are trained to intervene in all Child in Need of Aid Proceedings and to represent their tribe’s best interest in these proceedings.

Foster Care/Adoption Services

Children and Family Services, Foster Care Specialists recruits and certifies Native and non-native homes to serve as foster care placements for children removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect. Licensed foster homes are homes approved by OCS that meet a standard of care established in the foster care regulations. CFS in our MOA with OCS will provide the following technical assistance to foster parents and potential foster homes.
§ Assistance with the application process
§ Order the criminal history checks
§ Conduct home visits
§ Reference checks
§ Fingerprinting
§ Forwarding completed packets to OCS Fairbanks for final approval and licensing.