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“Unto the Third Generation” Revisited: The Impact of a National Plan to End Child Abuse in The United States within Three Generations
What They Are Saying: Child Welfare Reauthorization Delivers First-In-A-Generation Wins for Parents and Families
Guide for Providers: No-Cost Training Resources on Kinship/Grandfamily Mental Health Needs
Recent Updates from Louisiana Supreme Court:
- Resolution 606 addresses anti-black racism and its impact on families in child welfare.
- Court Improvement Program’s CIP Cafe’ offers free, monthly educational opportunities for child welfare practitioners.
- Child in Need of Care Trial Skills Building Training for Louisiana Attorneys – Next Session is September 16, 2024 in Alexandria. Sign Up Now!
Important Information
Child Abuse Prevention – Outreach Toolkit 2024 - National Child Abuse Prevention Month: April 2024 Whether by proclamation, through social media, with graphics, or through other means, spreading the word about child abuse prevention lets your community know they can take action to strengthen families and help them … Read More
Child Welfare Law Specialist Certification - Child Welfare Law Specialist (CWLS) certification is a professional achievement that signifies an attorney’s specialized knowledge, skill, and verified expertise in the field of child welfare law. The specialization area is defined as “the practice of law representing children, parents … Read More
Louisiana CINC Benchbook - The Court Improvement Program of the Louisiana Supreme Court, Louisiana Judicial College, and Pelican Center for Children and Families is delighted to announce the publication of the Louisiana Child in Need of Care Benchbook for Juvenile Judges. The Benchbook project is a … Read More
Upcoming Events
This six-hour training on the topic of Intrafamilial Child Sexual Abuse is being offered in three parts and will take place on Tuesday, October 15, 22 and 29 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Eastern. This training series is targeted for staff working in child welfare related agencies and anyone working with children and their families where there has been no formal disclosure, but sexual abuse is suspected.
In most cases, there will not be a formal disclosure that warrants the involvement of law enforcement or child protective services. The hope is that each one of us can contribute in their own way to support children to access help when they are ready, and that no opportunity is missed through lack of knowledge, skills, or tools to interact with a child that is demonstrating signs of abuse.
This training series will have a special focus on father-child intrafamilial child sexual abuse which will include fathers, stepfathers, and male partners. The intent of these interactive sessions is to build capacity for primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention, identification, and intervention with families.
The facilitators hope to impress on the participants the scope of this issue and the long-lasting impact of trauma on children that experience this type of abuse. Special attention will be directed to building practice wisdom and understanding of psychosomatic symptoms, concepts such as complex trauma and the overlap with other clinical presentations.
Participants may grapple with the great responsibility of decision making in these cases. Verification of concerns can be the first step to intervention or if made in error cause unneeded separation within families.
This training will also focus on interconnected themes and demonstrate connections to enhance practice and client engagement. The topics covered will include the role of the practitioner, application of theory, research, and practice philosophies, to support practice. Assessment tools will be provided which may support practitioners to gather and assess data.
The assessments process will include information gathering, understanding the context in which abuse occurs and the many powerful barriers that function to prevent detection. Topics such as pre-abuse functioning, family functioning and presentations, symptomology-victimology link, and the importance of strategy for engagement with children will also be discussed.
Inquiry into the dynamics of intrafamilial child sexual abuse enables inquiry into the beliefs, actions, and behaviors of children, offenders and in many cases the parent(s) who did not offend. The facilitators will also touch on strategies for engagement with each party for the triangulation of data. A holistic, non-accusatory inquiry strategy supports engagement and the collection of valuable information for assessment and ways of working with the family.
Facilitators:
Dr. Delphine Collin-Vezina, a trained psychologist and full professor at McGill University in Quebec, Canada. She is also an expert in child sexual abuse and trauma and has over twenty-five years of experience.
Gerald Walsh, MSW, RSW, a front-line child welfare investigator with Child and Family Services of Grand Erie, Ontario, Canada. He is a presenter of investigative techniques and has been involved with the training of social work students, child welfare staff, and law enforcement.
Special acknowledgement is also given to the valuable contributions of Andrew Koster, MSW, RSW and co-author of the recent book titled Child Sexual Abuse Investigations and Assessments published by CWLA.
Parenting is challenging, particularly when you are parenting a child from a hard place. Children from hard places include children who experienced distress in the womb or during delivery, were hospitalized early in life, were abused or neglected, or experience trauma, whether natural or man-made. Trust-Based Relational Intervention® Introduction & Overview will focus on understanding the meaning of child behaviors, the brain chemistry of a child from a hard place, and how to help children and families heal and connect. This multi-disciplinary training is designed to give caregivers, volunteers, and professionals who serve children and families the knowledge and practical skills they need to bring hope and healing.
Module 1: Understanding Trauma
Learning objectives:
1. Understanding TBRI®: TBRI® is an evidenced based, trauma informed, wholistic intervention
2. Understanding Risk Factors: The risks factors and how they alter the developmental trajectory
3. How to get back on track: The three principles (Connecting, Empowering, Correcting) that work together to bring healing to children
Module 2: Connecting & Empowering Principles
Connecting Learning objectives:
1. Understanding mindfulness strategies: what I bring to the table matters when building connection/trust with children
2. Understanding engagement strategies: how I can work with a child to build trust in a way that they will respond to
3. Understanding the Attachment Cycle: how it works, what it lays the foundation for, what happens when the cycle is disrupted
Empowering Learning objectives:
Be a detective by:
1. Understanding physiological strategies: (Internal) meeting hydration, blood sugar, and sensory needs
2. Understanding ecological strategies: (External) what’s going on around children affects their behavior- transitions
Module 3: Correcting Principles: Proactive & Responsive
Proactive Learning objectives:
1. Understanding that Proactive strategies let children know that they have a voice, that their voice matters, and that safe adults will acknowledge their voice.
2. Understanding Choices: what they are, why they work, how to do them
3. Understanding compromises: what they are, why they work, how to do them
4. Understanding life value terms: what they are, why they work, how to do them
Responsive Learning objectives:
1. Understanding how the IDEAL Response helps a caregiver respond in a way that will promote healing, not further damage with trust
2. Understanding how the Levels of Response help caregivers know the path of least resistance and how to get back to connection
Module 4: Putting it all Together
Synopsis: Seeing how connecting, empowering, and correcting principles work together harmoniously
– Watching TBRI put into practice
– Case studies to recognize where TBRI strategies could be implemented
Join us for the monthly Coffee and Conversations about Supporting Children and Families to Overcome Adversity. This session will provide valuable insights and practical strategies for professionals, caregivers, and community members dedicated to fostering resilience in children and families facing challenges. Our expert speakers will share evidence based techniques and real-world examples to help participants understand and implement effective resilience-building practices. Engage in meaningful discussions, ask questions, and connect with peers committed to making a positive impact in the lives of children and families.
Speaker:
Dr. Hebert has served as the Principal Investigator of the Louisiana Child Welfare Training Academy from inception to present. She had over twenty years teaching experience in social work. Her focus for areas of research includes foster parent engagement, training, and trauma.
What is race? What is racism? How do these concepts influence people’s perceptions of themselves and others? How has racism impacted the implementation of policies and procedures across our socio-economic systems?
This three-part training session explores these and other questions to understand the ways racism impacts socio-economic systems. Participants will learn about the origins of racism and engage in discussions about its four levels: internalized (within individuals), interpersonal (between individuals), institutional (within institutions), and structural (across institutions and society). They will review examples of each and evaluate how the practices of specific institutions – child welfare, education and criminal justice, to name a few – perpetuate disparate outcomes for impacted populations. Participants will also go on a historical journey from slavery and segregation to the violence, mass incarceration and voter suppression, to understand how internalized, interpersonal and institutional racism combine to create power structures that advantage some, while disadvantaging all others.
Through this historical perspective, participants will be challenged to evaluate the racist policies and practices that persist in their fields of work, and to start discussions about dismantling systems of oppression so that equity, inclusion and justice can prevail.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, substance use disorder (SUD) is a treatable mental disorder that affects a person’s brain and behavior, leading to their inability to control their use of substances like legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, or medications. Symptoms can be moderate to severe, with addiction being the most severe form of SUD. We, in the field of child welfare, work with parents and caregivers with these symptoms and those newborns and children who are affected by substance use.
A drug test involves testing a biological sample, such as urine or hair, for the presence of a legal or illegal drug. Drug tests, or screens, may be part of Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) investigations and case plans. Dr. Rebecca Hook will unpack these screenings in detail, including types of testing, protocols, how to interpret results, and common pitfalls.
Dr. Hook is DCFS’s first medical director, appointed by the agency in September 2023. In addition to providing information about drug screening, she will explain her role at DCFS.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
- Learn about types of drug screens involved in child abuse and neglect cases.
- Understand how to interpret drug screens and common pitfalls in interpretation.
SPEAKER:
Dr. Rebecca Hook, Louisiana DCFS-Director of Medical Services
The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services appointed Dr. Rebecca Hook as the agency’s first Director of Medical Services in 2023. In her role she serves as an in-house clinical resource, monitors adherence to health guidelines, and assists the department with healthcare policy implementation. Dr. Hook has been serving children in Louisiana since 2015. Previously Dr. Hook provided pediatric emergency care at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital. In 2020, she launched the S.A.F.E. Clinic with Our Lady of the Lake. The clinic partnered with the Baton Rouge Children’s Advocacy Center to provide medical services to pediatric survivors of sexual assault.
Dr. Hook earned her medical degree from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in 2008. She completed her pediatric residency training at the University of Tennessee Memphis in 2011 and her pediatric emergency medicine fellowship training at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas in 2015. She has been a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Louisiana chapter of AAP. Rebecca is married to a Louisiana native, Christopher Racca. The couple shares two boys and a love for Louisiana football.
REGISTER HERE
Parenting is challenging, particularly when you are parenting a child from a hard place. Children from hard places include children who experienced distress in the womb or during delivery, were hospitalized early in life, were abused or neglected, or experience trauma, whether natural or man-made. Trust-Based Relational Intervention® Introduction & Overview will focus on understanding the meaning of child behaviors, the brain chemistry of a child from a hard place, and how to help children and families heal and connect. This multi-disciplinary training is designed to give caregivers, volunteers, and professionals who serve children and families the knowledge and practical skills they need to bring hope and healing.
Module 1: Understanding Trauma
Learning objectives:
1. Understanding TBRI®: TBRI® is an evidenced based, trauma informed, wholistic intervention
2. Understanding Risk Factors: The risks factors and how they alter the developmental trajectory
3. How to get back on track: The three principles (Connecting, Empowering, Correcting) that work together to bring healing to children
Module 2: Connecting & Empowering Principles
Connecting Learning objectives:
1. Understanding mindfulness strategies: what I bring to the table matters when building connection/trust with children
2. Understanding engagement strategies: how I can work with a child to build trust in a way that they will respond to
3. Understanding the Attachment Cycle: how it works, what it lays the foundation for, what happens when the cycle is disrupted
Empowering Learning objectives:
Be a detective by:
1. Understanding physiological strategies: (Internal) meeting hydration, blood sugar, and sensory needs
2. Understanding ecological strategies: (External) what’s going on around children affects their behavior- transitions
Module 3: Correcting Principles: Proactive & Responsive
Proactive Learning objectives:
1. Understanding that Proactive strategies let children know that they have a voice, that their voice matters, and that safe adults will acknowledge their voice.
2. Understanding Choices: what they are, why they work, how to do them
3. Understanding compromises: what they are, why they work, how to do them
4. Understanding life value terms: what they are, why they work, how to do them
Responsive Learning objectives:
1. Understanding how the IDEAL Response helps a caregiver respond in a way that will promote healing, not further damage with trust
2. Understanding how the Levels of Response help caregivers know the path of least resistance and how to get back to connection
Module 4: Putting it all Together
Synopsis: Seeing how connecting, empowering, and correcting principles work together harmoniously
– Watching TBRI put into practice
– Case studies to recognize where TBRI strategies could be implemented
Parenting is challenging, particularly when you are parenting a child from a hard place. TBRI® Correcting Principles will provide an in-depth look at strategies for correcting behaviors. This multi-disciplinary training is designed to give caregivers, volunteers, and professionals who serve children and families the knowledge and practical skills they need to bring hope and healing.
This multi-disciplinary training is designed to give caregivers, volunteers, and professionals who serve children and families the knowledge and practical skills they need to bring hope and healing. This live, online training has 4 video-conferencing modules, giving participants the opportunity learn in an interactive environment.
Please Note: Participants must attend TBRI Introduction and Overview prior to attending this training.
Module 1: Introduction to Correcting & Nurture Groups
Learning objectives:
1. Gain an understanding of the 4 parenting styles and which one is most effective when caring for children from hard places.
2. Gain an understanding of the importance of a balance between structure and nurture.
3. Gain an understanding that the goal of correction should be connection, contentment, and changed behavior.
4. Gain an understanding of when and how to use proactive correcting strategies
5. Gain an understanding of the importance of play to disarm fear and mentor the capacity of our kids to regulate themselves.
6. Gain an understanding of the different components of nurture groups
Module 2: Responsive Strategies & Correcting Principles in Action
Learning objectives:
1. Gain understanding regarding where to set the behavioral bar for children
2. Gain understanding regarding how to put TBRI Correcting principles into practice in your setting by examining behavioral episodes.
3. Gain understanding that all behavioral episodes should end with these 3 components:
• Child and caregiver feeling more connected to each other
• Child and caregiver feeling content
• Child showing behavioral change
4. Gain understanding of how to be efficient when responding to children’s behaviors
NACC is pleased to announce our new and expanded Infants & Toddlers series. This comprehensive four-session series is tailored for attorneys for the agency, children, or parents, as well as judges and social workers in infant and toddler cases.
Dive deep into the nuances of providing high-quality legal representation in cases involving our youngest and most vulnerable clients. From compassionate advocacy and understanding the unique harms faced by infants and toddlers to navigating the removal decision and fostering collaboration for families, each session is designed to equip you with the specialized knowledge and skills needed to effectively advocate for these young individuals.
Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your practice and make a meaningful impact in the lives of infants and toddlers. Register now to secure your spot in this essential series. All registrants also receive electronic access to last year’s recordings and materials from the High-Quality Legal Representation for Infants and Toddlers Training Series.
Session One: Compassionate Advocacy in Infant & Toddler Cases
- The Importance of Cultural Humility for Attorneys in Infant & Toddler Cases
- Trauma-Informed Representation
- Engaging w/ infants and toddlers
- Personal/Peer Care and Compassion for Attorneys in Infant & Toddler Cases
Promoting Positive Change in Communities by Confronting Poverty
Louisiana CASA is excited to host our third webinar series. This series is brought to you in partnership with the Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund so we are required to ask participants certain demographic questions during registration. Once you register, an email will be sent to you that includes the link to join the webinar. We hope to see you there!
Disproportionality and Poverty
Poverty intersects with other social determinants, such as racism and classism, creating structural vulnerabilities and evidence indicates impoverished children are disproportionately affected by maltreatment. Poverty, especially when combined with factors like parental depression, substance use, and social isolation, significantly increases the risk of child maltreatment. The presentation will discuss how these low-resource conditions contribute to disparities and why children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, race, and ethnicity face closer scrutiny and affect child maltreatment reports.