Abstract
The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) passed in 1978, yet American Indian families remain disproportionately represented in child welfare systems across the United States (US). The current study explores this by examining how historical trauma has impacted American Indian tribes' trust in today's public child welfare agencies. Tribal child welfare workers (N = 146) completed the standardized Mayer and Davis Trust Inventory. Results indicate American Indian-identified tribal child welfare workers have a higher propensity to trust than non-American Indian-identified tribal child welfare workers. Additionally, tribal child welfare workers rate public child welfare workers as more trustworthy than other types of government officials. Findings suggest that despite the overrepresentation of American Indian children in foster care, ICWA may be helping to restore trust between tribal and public systems.