Tŝilhqot’in communities and Nation members have spent four years tirelessly providing their knowledge to build the “Tŝilhqot’in ʔEsqax Sustel Jeniyax” (Tŝilhqot’in child and family law). This law and our inherent jurisdiction of Tŝilhqot’in families has been recognized through an agreement with BC and Canada signed in March 2025.
This work is called “Tŝilhqot’in Nidlin” – translating to “we are Tŝilhqot’in” – to encompass past, present, and future generations.
We know our culture, traditions and ways of supporting our families. We will be looking at our culture and applying our laws around how family wellness is supported and held up.
We know our culture, traditions and ways of supporting our families. We will be looking at our culture and applying our laws around how family wellness is supported and held up.
“Our children, parents, grandparents; past and future generations yet to come.”
Our service model describes our collaborative approach to providing family wellness services across the Nation. A central Tŝilhqot’in organization will support communities, while recognizing that every community is unique and has their own approach to families.
As communities develop more services, the interim services will shrink and the roles of the Nation Circles and Tŝilhqot’in Organization will shift.
More information about our service model and how it was developed can be found in our Community Directions Report published in December 2024.
Tŝilhqot’in ʔEsqax Sutsel Jeniyax – “Tŝilhqot’in children growing up in a good way”– is the title of our Tŝilhqot’in Children and Family Law. This Law is an expression of the Tŝilhqot’in Nation’s inherent right to self-determination and jurisdiction over child and family services. It is focused on prevention and family preservation.
Our law uses Tŝilhqot’in words and phrases throughout – for example, ʔEsqi for child, ʔAba belh ʔInkwel for mother and father, and ʔEtsu for grandmother. It highlights a traditional story at the start of each section, and incorporates Tŝilhqot’in protocols and values throughout.
For the first five years, the Nation and communities will work together to ensure a high level of care for children through programs that encourage community togetherness and involvement. We will expand on the prevention programs our communities already do, including on-the-land programs such as hunting camps, fishing, and community events. Services will be designed for all members of a family, and for members living away from our communities.
The Coordination Agreement was signed by BC, Canada, and the six Tŝilhqot’in communities in March 2025. It recognizes the Tŝilhqot’in Nation’s inherent right to self-govern our child and family services. It is a pathway for the Tŝilhqot’in ʔEsqax Sutsel Jeniyax (our Children and Family law) to prevail over federal and provincial law related to the services we provide. The Agreement coordinates our services with BC and Canada, and sets out funding to support those services.
In September 2025, the agreement was amended to extend the one-year fiscal arrangement to five years, during which time the Tŝilhqot’in Nation will sustain their service delivery and establish more robust mechanisms for self-governance, accountability, dispute resolution, prevention programs, and cultural continuity.
On September 27, 2025, a celebration was held. Watch the Nitsli invitation video.
Tŝilhqot’in ʔEsqax Sutsel Jeniyax – “Tŝilhqot’in children growing up in a good way”– is the title of our Tŝilhqot’in Children and Family Law. This Law is an expression of the Tŝilhqot’in Nation’s inherent right to self-determination and jurisdiction over child and family services.
For the first five years, MCFD and delegated Indigenous child and family services agencies, like Denisiqi, will continue to have a mandate to protect children. Protection services will be transitioned to the Tŝilhqot’in Nation slowly and only after there are systems in place to make sure services are not disrupted or that children are not left at risk. With intense prevention and early intervention services, we foresee a decrease in the need for protection services.
The Nation service delivery model is built on supporting communities while recognizing every community is unique and has their own approach to families.
The Nation will be unified under the Tŝilhqot’in Law, which establishes Nation-wide standards and protocols for children and families. Communities will determine their own services and structures to meet those standards. This includes continuing to provide prevention services in their own way.
Our law also establishes the Tŝilhqot’in Nidlin, which will act as a central organization to support communities. This organization will fill any gaps in programs and create opportunities to collaborate and learn together as we implement Tŝilhqot’in law.
We expect families will see many benefits from family jurisdiction, including:
We are guided by Tŝilhqot’in Dechen Ts’edilhtan (Tŝilhqot’in Law).
We support our families and communities.
The Tŝilhqot’in Nidlin team has been engaging tirelessly with community members on Tŝilhqot’in protocols related to children and families. Below is a summary of our engagement so far.
We are also supporting families by creating cultural spaces for children at cultural events, seasonal gatherings, and ceremonies. This creates opportunities for healthy modelling and traditional teachings.
Meet our Community Engagement Team
We have provided updates to Tŝilhqot’in Members through Newsletters throughout the Nidlin project.
In 2022, the Tŝilhqot’in Nidlin team published the very first children’s magazine. This magazine features Tŝilhqot’in craft, stories, and much more. The magazines are available at any of our offices.
Meet Datsan Chugh (Raven) a curious, sweet natured, Tŝilhqot’in girl who is inviting you to join her as she learns more about her culture, traditions and what it means to be Tŝilhqot’in.
Datsan Chugh loves her family – even her little brothers who are extremely busy! She also enjoys being in nature, making crafts, and all kinds of animals, especially horses.
Learn all about Datsan and her adventures in our very first Tŝilhqot’in Nidlin children’s magazine.
