6 Tips to Help You Through the Settlement Process

The 60’s scoop happened between 1950 and 1990 when many, many Indigenous children were removed from their families by the child welfare service and placed in foster homes of non-indigenous families.

The Federal government has decided that the 60’s scoop survivors, approximately 20,000 of them will be financially compensated sometime in the near future.

The trouble with all of this is it is going to bring up memories and feelings that we have done our best to forget or to put behind us.

1) You can safely deal with the emotions being churned up

The very mention of the 60’s scoop is going to bring up a great deal of unpleasant emotions. You may be going through grief for a childhood that was stolen. You may be sad, angry or feeling like all of these memories are best left alone.

When you are feeling these emotions, find someone who is supportive that you can talk to. It may be a sibling, a family friend or a counsellor.
Seek out a healthy elder that you can safely talk to about what you are feeling. If there is a counsellor or a healing program you can enter into then now is the time to do so. You survived the 60’s scoop and you will survive this time when all of the emotions and memories are being churned up.

2) The 60’s scoop was a major life event

You may need to embrace the chaos this is going to bring up. There may be a lot of messy upheaval in your life. You are going to need to have a plan that focuses on all the four areas of your life to help you through this time. How will you take care of yourself spiritually, emotionally, physically and mentally? Now is the time to write down a wellness plan that includes all aspect of our human experience.

3) Lean on your Support System

What kind of supports do you have in your life? When you have something to talk about who do you go to? Now is the time to be honest with your support person, and tell them the 60’s scoop has you in a hurting place, and you are going to need to talk to them about this experience.

Find a counsellor who can listen to you and help you to unravel this hurtful experience. Maybe you walk in the woods, talk to your pet or your spouse about the churned up hurtful experience. Find your people and let them know you are having a tough time and that you need them.

You do not have to be strong and go through this alone. Lean on your support people and let them be strong for you instead of you always having to be strong and put on your I Got This face. Be honest with yourself and with them.

4) Make yourself and your well-being a priority

In this time staying with your routine is going to help you through this troubling time. It is easy to fall into bad habits when you are upset, so take the time to make sure you get enough rest, feed yourself healthy food, and get a bit of exercise.

5) Set your Intention

Whatever happens, you are going to get through it. You have survived worse and you will survive this. When you wake up in the morning, set your intention for what you would like your day to be like. You are in charge of your day and in charge of your emotions. What do you want this day to be like? What are your goals?

I find that my morning routine of smudging, praying and meditating helps me to deal with the day in a peaceful and productive way.

6) Stay up to speed about the 60’s scoop process

What do you know about the 60’s scoop? Who can you contact to get more information? If you know what is happening and know what you need to do, then you will feel a little more in control of the process. Break everything down into steps that are manageable for you.

The most important thing is that we are patient and have a wellness plan to ensure that we are in a good place when all the dust settles and the 60’s scoop settlement is complete. Take care of yourself.