[Johmo]

I would like to hear from other adoptive and foster parents who had difficulties with ICWA as applied to kids who have had no previous connection to their tribes.

[elkriver]

Hi,

I haven't yet run into a problem, but I see that it is a possibility. I am considering adopting my niece (she is now in foster care with my parents). She is 50% First Nations (Native Canadian). Her mother is not enrolled in the tribe because she was adopted by a CC family in the US. She has been in foster care before and so far no social workers have notified the tribe. However, I know from previous experiences that the tribe is very legally active in its members affairs, whether they like it or not. I don't know that it will be a problem for us, since we are blood relatives, but I think it would be if we weren't. Sorry this doesn't help much.

[joskimo]

we are legal guardians of 2 nephews, I'm caucasian and my husband is Eskimo, the nephews are Indian. Their tribe gave us such a pain in the neck because DH is not of the same tribe as the boys. Their mother and my husband are both adopted, so her birth mother had to consent to us adopting the boys, it was just too much. We haven't moved forward and are content with the legal guardianship.