▁for ▁the ▁pla int iffs , ▁made ▁this ▁comment ▁about ▁the ▁settlement : ▁Never ▁before ▁in ▁history ▁has ▁a ▁nation ▁recognized , ▁in ▁this ▁way , ▁children ’ s ▁right ▁to ▁their ▁cultural ▁ident ities , ▁and ▁a ▁government ’ s ▁responsibility ▁to ▁do ▁everything ▁in ▁its ▁power ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁cultural ▁identity ▁of ▁children ▁in ▁its ▁care . ▁ ▁Similar ▁social ▁develop ments ▁in ▁other ▁countries ▁▁ ▁In ▁Australia , ▁a ▁similar ▁policy , ▁which ▁is ▁sometimes ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁St olen ▁Generation , ▁removed ▁Ab original ▁children ▁from ▁their ▁families ▁and ▁placed ▁them ▁in ▁or phan ages , ▁children ' s ▁homes , ▁or ▁with ▁non - A bor iginal ▁fost er ▁parents . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Indian ▁Child ▁W elf are ▁Association ▁( N IC WA ), ▁ 2 5 ▁to ▁ 3 5 ▁percent ▁of ▁Native ▁children ▁nation wide ▁were ▁being ▁removed ▁from ▁their ▁families ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁Over arch ing ▁federal ▁legisl ation ▁setting ▁standards ▁for ▁child ▁cust ody ▁proceed ings , ▁the ▁Indian ▁Child ▁W elf are ▁Act ▁( IC WA ), ▁was ▁adopted ▁that ▁year . ▁IC WA ▁mand ates ▁that ▁when ▁a ▁Native ▁American ▁child ' s ▁parent ▁dies , ▁exhaust ive ▁efforts ▁must ▁be ▁made ▁to ▁reun ite ▁the ▁child ▁with ▁the ▁surv iving ▁parent ▁or ▁other ▁relatives . ▁Children ▁are ▁placed ▁with ▁non - Native ▁families ▁only ▁when ▁an ▁Ind igen ous ▁fost er ▁home , ▁prefer ably ▁one ▁within ▁the