CWLA is pleased to present the three-part virtual training series that features our CWLA Press publication Working with Traumatized Children – A Handbook for Healing, Third Edition. The latest edition of Working with Traumatized Children features new strategies and approaches for caregivers and others responsible for meeting the needs of children who are vulnerable.

Participants will gain a strengthened capacity to:

1. Define what trauma is and differentiate it from stress
2. Provide examples of trauma symptoms in children and adults
3. Describe how trauma can impact children’s brains
4. Advocate for the provision of safe environments when working with children and adults who have been affected by trauma
5. Provide examples of how systems can be traumatizing or retraumatize people
6. Explain the importance of understanding the vagus nerve when working with families and children who have been affected by trauma
7. Express why self-reflective practices and supervision are important when working with this population

Training registrants will receive an electronic copy of Working with Traumatized Children, Companion Workbook which supplements the virtual training sessions. Training registrants are also eligible to receive a 30% discount on the purchase of hard copies of Working with Traumatized Children – A Handbook for Healing, Third Edition and Working with Traumatized Children, Companion Workbook.  Use promo code WWTC-30 in CWLA’s Bookstore.

Trainer: 

Paulette Mader, MSN is a Senior Training and Consultation Specialist at Rutgers University. She is a certified trainer in “Nurtured Heart Approach”, “ACE and the Neurobiology of Trauma”, “Wrap Around” and “CFT”.

REGISTER HERE

This fun and interactive workshop helps young people with disabilities get ready for work. Together, we’ll talk about why having a job is important and how working can help you earn money, meet new people, and become more independent. You’ll learn what employers look for, practice important workplace skills like communication, teamwork, and problemsolving, and explore jobs that match your interests and strengths. Practice real-life skills such as building a simple resume, preparing for job interviews, and learning how to ask for help or accommodations at work. This workshop is designed to help you feel confident, prepared, and excited about your future at work!

REGISTER HERE

As part of the Transition to Adulthood Workshop Series, this interactive session will provide individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families with essential information about waivers and how they can support independent living. Participants will learn practical tips for navigating waiver programs, accessing available services, and advocating for their needs. Through real-life scenarios, hands-on activities, and guidance, attendees will gain confidence in utilizing waivers to enhance their quality of life. Join us for this engaging workshop and take home easy-to-understand resources to support your transition to adulthood!

REGISTER HERE

Details

Developed in coordination with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), this webinar will help child welfare agencies and partners strengthen prevention and response efforts related to human trafficking and children missing from care. The event will also reinforce federal statutory requirements, particularly for data collection.

Key focus points:

• Recent data, emerging trends, and promising practices related to children missing from care;
• Cross-sector approaches and partnerships that support improved outcomes; and
• Federal statutory requirements related to identifying, reporting, training, and collecting data on children missing from care.

Register Here

Healthcare professionals are often the first line of defense in identifying vulnerable children. This session emphasizes the importance of integrating child welfare perspectives into pediatric care, home visiting programs, and maternal health. Participants will learn how to conduct sensitive screenings, develop multidisciplinary response teams, and navigate legal and ethical issues in information sharing between medical and social systems.

Learning Objectives: 

• Strengthen provider capacity to detect and respond to risk factors. 

• Embed prevention into pediatric visits and maternal health programs. 

• Navigate HIPAA and information-sharing within ethical boundaries. 

2025 – 2026 Louisiana CASA Webinar Series: Strength in Unity 

Louisiana CASA is excited to host our fourth webinar series. This year, we are partnering with Louisiana Child Welfare Training Academy (LCWTA) to bring this series to community members across our state. This series equips professionals, child welfare advocates, and community members with the knowledge and collaborative strategies needed to protect children, support families, and prevent child abuse and neglect. Each session emphasizes the importance of cross-sector cooperation, early identification of risk factors, and collective responses that foster safe, stable, and nurturing relationships. By promoting a shared understanding and responsibility among systems—such as education, healthcare, faith-based institutions, family services, and policy leaders—participants will develop the tools and partnerships necessary to create resilient families and communities.  

REGISTER HERE

CWLA is pleased to present a virtual training opportunity for social work and human service professionals that provides participants with a research-informed, reflective look at how identity and adverse life experiences interact to shape families within child welfare systems. Although identity categories are socially constructed, their influence on laws, policies, and relationships has enduring effects that contribute to uneven outcomes across service settings.

Participants will examine how life circumstances linked to structurally based experiences can persist across generations and institutions, and how historical and structural factors affect children and families. A framework grounded in trauma awareness and responsive practice will guide discussion and practical strategies for fostering healing and resilience.

TRAINER:

Deborah Wilson Gadsden, LSW, MSW, MHS, CWLA Director, EIB & Permanency Standards Project

REGISTER HERE

Taking Action Against Abuse is a hands-on workshop to help you stay safe. In this training, you will learn: What abuse and neglect mean; signs that someone may be hurting you or not treating you right; how to speak up for yourself; who you can tell if something feels wrong; & what steps to take to get help. We will use simple examples, group activities, and practice exercises to help you understand what to do. You will have time to ask questions and talk about real-life situations. This workshop helps you build confidence, learn your rights, and know how to protect yourself and others. Families, caregivers, and community members are welcome too, so everyone can work together to create safer spaces. You have the right to feel safe.

When we learn the signs and take action, we can make positive change. Join us and be part of the solution.

REGISTER HERE

This webinar will explain the concept of a Caregiver Will, a tool to ensure every parent of a minor child can designate chosen guardians in case they become unable to care for their child either temporarily or permanently. Based on longstanding Supreme Court recognition of parental rights to raise and care for children, this tool is grounded in legal precedent and state and federal statutory authority in family law and child welfare law. The Caregiver Will emphasizes how important it is for parents to be able to exercise their constitutionally protected rights when it comes to defining their own family’s village and determining what community support and collective efforts may best meet their family’s needs and rights in the face of unexpected events.

ABA Resolution 610: Caregiver Wills: https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/directories/policy/annual-2025/610-annual-2025.pdf

REGISTER HERE

This workshop is for youth and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families who want to understand how to access services and supports for adult life.

In this interactive session, participants will learn what a Medicaid waiver is, why people may need one, and how waivers help pay for important services that support independent living. We will talk about different Louisiana waivers, how the application process works, what the SUN score means, and who can help along the way.

Participants will also explore how waiver services can support housing, daily living needs, employment goals, and overall health and wellbeing. We will review how to access healthcare services, understand basic insurance concepts, and identify helpful community resources and professional contacts.

This workshop breaks down complex information into simple, practical steps — empowering individuals and families to understand their options, ask the right questions, and take action.

Your future starts with knowing what supports are available to you.

REGISTER HERE

This workshop is for youth and young adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) and their families who want to explore options and prepare for independent adult life.

In this interactive session, participants will learn about different housing options such as living with family, supported apartments, or group homes. We will discuss how to think about future living arrangements, what supports may be needed, and who can help with making housing decisions and finding local resources.

Participants will also explore the skills needed to live more independently, including managing daily routines, understanding personal responsibilities, and planning for long-term support. Through guided discussion and activities, learners will practice identifying questions to ask when considering housing choices and how to plan for the future with confidence.

This workshop provides practical information and simple tools to help individuals and families start meaningful conversations about housing, independence, and long-term planning.

Planning today helps create a strong and supported future.

REGISTER HERE