Author Archives: Susan Shaffette

Compendium Brief Cover

How Legal Professionals Can Use the Compendium of Measures and Data Sources: Understanding Judicial Decision-Making and Hearing Quality in Child Welfare

This two-page overview<https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/how-legal-professionals-can-use-compendium-measures-and-data-sources-understanding> highlights a new resource legal professionals can use in child welfare court improvement work: the “Compendium of Measures and Data Sources: Understanding Judicial Decision-Making and Hearing Quality in Child Welfare” (Compendium)<https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/compendium-measures-and-data-sources-understanding-judicial-decision-making-and-hearing>. It explains the Compendium and its … Read More

The Art of Listening Effectively

Ten important ideas to keep in mind when representing or advocating for your child and youth clients In order to build strong lawyer-client relationships with children and youth, listening is foundational and essential. To help strengthen our listening skills, here … Read More

Conceptual Model of Judicial Decision-Making and Hearing Quality in Child Welfare

This new brief presents a conceptual model that shows how aspects of the child welfare court process relate to case outcomes for children and families. This model can help researchers, practitioners, and policymakers better understand the child welfare court process … Read More

Compendium of Measures and Data Sources: Understanding Judicial Decision-Making and Hearing Quality in Child Welfare

Understanding Judicial Decision-Making and Hearing Quality in ChildWelfare The child welfare court process is intended to help protect abused and neglected children, encourage family stability, support child well-being, and provide children who enter the foster care system with a safe … Read More

Five Resources for Lawyers Representing Transition Aged Youth

Some tips and resources to help you prepare your client to age out of the child welfare system. By Cathy Krebs – January 2021 Lawyers who represent transition-aged youth (ages 16–24) have unique challenges to ensure their clients are prepared … Read More

Trauma Caused by Separation of Children from Parents

A Tool to Help Lawyers Information is up to date as of January, 2020. Children are seriously harmed when they are separated from their parents. There has been quite a bit of research that proves that harm and outlines the specific … Read More

Inspired by ‘Youth Stories,’ a Bill of Rights for Foster Kids is Now Louisiana Law

BY BLAKE PATERSON | STAFF WRITERPUBLISHED JUL 6, 2021 AT 3:30 PM | UPDATED JUL 6, 2021 AT 4:02 PM The Advocate Newspaper – Baton Rouge, LA Before entering foster care, Aliyah Zeien spent every morning helping her sisters get … Read More

Determining the Best Interests of the Child

Courts make a variety of decisions that affect children, including placement and custody determinations, safety and permanency planning, and proceedings for termination of parental rights. Whenever a court makes such a determination, judges must weigh whether the decision will be … Read More

Family

Why Relative Placement Is Best for a Child in Need of Care

While a foster home can care for a child, there are often many relatives willing to step up, and there is no comparison to the benefits of a family’s love and connection. By Avery Alexson Guidry Child in Need of … Read More

In-Home Services to Strengthen Children and Families

Most children involved with the child welfare system are not separated from their families but instead receive services while living at home. These child welfare “in-home services” are designed to strengthen and stabilize families that come to the attention of … Read More