Relationship-based child protection: practice informed by indigenous social work students in the Northwest Territories

This study explores Ingenious perspectives of relationship building and how this perspective might be adapted into a child welfare context. The study was born out of my experience working in a child welfare in the community of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. The theoretical framework draws from an Anti-Colonial perspective and the research methodology was adapted from critical ethnography to fit the scope of the research project. The sample includes 4 diploma of social work students from Aurora College in Yellowknife Northwest Territories as well as field notes form my personal journals from when I lived in the community and field notes from a data collection trip to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories in the Spring of 2014. Findings provide community perceptions of social workers, community standards, a process of relationships-based practice and the benefits to this practice style. Barriers to relationship-based practice are also identified as an area for further exploration.