First Nations Approach to
Adolescent Pregnancy and
Parenting.
MA MAWI WI CHI ITATA CENTRE
ISOBELS PLACE
In our work with our moms and with
each other, we all strive to follow
the Seven Teachings
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Humility
Love
Respect
Honesty
Wisdom
Courage
Truth
CODE of HONOUR
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We Tell the Truth.
We seek only Peace.
We keep our Word.
We stand up for what is Right.
We treat each other with Respect.
We first listen from our Heart, then we speak
from our Heart.
• We support one another to follow the Code of
Honour.
In a lot of Cultures across the
world….
• Adolescent Pregnancy is the normal way of life.
• Teenage Pregnancy is accepted as the natural
life Journey, including aboriginal people
• In the Aboriginal culture, Aboriginal people think
of a pregnancy as a gift from the creator and a
life valued.
• A pregnancy wasn’t taken lightly, much planning
and learning was expected of the parents to be
and great care was taken to ensure this child
would have all their needs met when he or she
entered the world.
Continued…
• Most often all the women in the community
would participate in some way or another
from gathering supplies, to preparing the
parents, to the actual birth with midwives
and helpers at hand.
• This was also a journey prepared for two
expecting parents and a community not
just one parent.
What changed?
• What changed? Colonization, western
civilization and residential school played a
gigantic part in changing the support
mechanism. Teenage pregnancy exists
today and is a major concern along with
other “aboriginal issues” because of the
lack of support in what used to normal and
accepted or was non existent. However
the support piece changed drastically and
the way of life for our First Nations.
In the Western World…
• In the Western World teenage pregnancy is
taboo. So when European society started
immigrating to Americas, adolescent pregnancy
was looked down upon, but there are instances
where a European family would bring their un
wed daughter to an Aboriginal community and
she would stay during her confinement and birth,
then leave the child with the aboriginal people of
that community to raise.
Continued…
• Aboriginal people did not care about the
nationality, race, color of the baby; only
that this baby was in need of a loving
family/community to care for and raise this
child. How awesome is creator for
bestowing this child onto them? That might
be one of the reasons we see blue eyed
blond haired first nation people in this day
and age.
Continued…
• The babies born to these teenage European
mothers, would just grow up and marry within
the communities like any other child during that
time.
• At Isobel’s place we have a similar idea in the
sense where we will take any nationality
pregnant adolescent into our home, although the
majority is First Nations, we have had AfricanAboriginal, African Canadian, Asian, Portuguese,
other Caucasian mothers in our home.
All about Isobel’s Place
• Isobel’s Place is a comprehensive two stage approach
which provides a nurturing and safe environment for
pregnant and parenting adolescents, between the age of
14-17 years of age, an opportunity to learn effective
parenting and life skills in preparation for independent
living. The Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre will facilitate
partnerships to increase the capacity of the community
to participate in the supports of it’s children and families,
by fostering a meaningful and consistent approach for
volunteer involvement and community development
initiatives.
Philosophy
• Isobel’s Place operates within a philosophy that
is embodied in the name of our centre “ we all
work together to help one another”. The
Philosophy of the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre
is based on the recognition and understanding
of the extended family system and the many
networks within the community. We believe that
children are not private property and the sole
responsibility of the individual parents, rather
gifts from the creator; and that, all members of
the community have a role in the responsibility
for the care, protection and nurturing of children.
Program Objectives:
• To promote healthy informed choices through
increasing awareness and supportive
environment while exploring various options
available to pregnant adolescents;
• To reduce the number of repeated pregnancies
of adolescent parents;
• To increase the capacity of adolescent parents
to become self sufficient and decrease
dependence on social services system;
Program objectives continued:
• To improve the decision making and problem
solving skills of adolescent parents from a
holistic perspective;
• To provide adolescent parents with the skills
necessary to effectively provide a loving, caring
and safe environment for their children;
• To build on the capacity of the family to fully and
proactively support adolescent parents and their
child;
• To increase the life and parenting skills
necessary of adolescent parents in preparation
of independent living.
Continued…
• To increase the capacity of the community to
participate in the support of it’s children and
families, by fostering a meaningful and
consistent approach for volunteer involvement
and community development initiatives;
• To facilitate community partnerships to provide
on-going support, services and resources for
children, adolescent parents and families.
The Facility
• We are located at Blake Gardens – Weston
Area. 24 hour supervised, facility, that consists
of 12 furnished suites. The suites have a
kitchen, bathroom, bedroom (2), living room and
storage space. Shared space within our facility
includes: A kitchen, dinning room, multipurpose
room or living room, on site laundry, sharing
room or program room, computer room,
administration office and child development
centre.
Programs
• Weekly regular resident meetings which
are held in a sharing circle manner, we
smudge and pray before the start of the
meeting, in a circle each resident can
share about their weekend, goals for the
week and concerns they may have. Staff
participate as well in the meeting and if
there are any announcements and
newcomers this is where we welcome our
new friends.
Programs Continued
• Prenatal with Labor Preparation and
Breastfeeding in partnership with the
Community Public Health Nurse and
Student Nurses.
• Postnatal with PHN
• Nutrition with Community Dietician
• Healthy Relationships with Mamawi
• Independent Living skills
Including Our Fathers
• Isobel’s place also includes and
encourages the fathers to be part of their
babies lives and a part of the program.
• Learning is for both Mothers as well as
Fathers.
• Our dads and dads to be have fathers
mentor available to them.
• A dad’s den with access to a computer
and other resources.
Value Based Approach
• As a Mamawi home we follow a value
based approach and a harm reduction
approach to our care structure.
The value based approach in caring for our
children is as close to an Aboriginal
perspective as we can get and still be part
of mainstream social work practice.
Family Group Conferencing
• Empowering our family to be the decision
makers
• Building relationships with our moms and
our families
• Building support for mom and baby during
the program and upon discharge.
• Following and following up on the Family
Group Conference plan.
Cultural Program
• Optional not mandatory
• Cultural pieces woven into the learning in
our programs
• Optional offered ceremonies, smudges,
sweats and full moon ceremonies
• Shared cultural worker