A selection of The Imprint’s most impactful stories from the past year
In 2025, Indigenous Child and Families Reporter Nancy Marie Spears covered several compelling stories about efforts around the country to examine the history of the Native American experience with child welfare systems, as well as present-day developments. Among those stories:
- An interview with Colorado archaeologist Holly Norton about her work identifying and examining gravesites, including at Indian boarding schools.
- A first-of-its kind study on the mental health impact on American Indian and Alaska Native women when their children are placed for adoption.
- A look at how tribes around the nation are “decolonizing” child welfare language and practice.
Spears also produced a roundtable discussion on the future of the Indian Child Welfare Act, which was passed in 1978. A recent case strongly affirmed that the law, which has been challenged several times at the Supreme Court, is here to stay. This conversation focused on what it will take for states and tribes to make better use of its unique protections.
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