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
Attorneys
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
What You Need to Know About Child in Need of Care Cases in Louisiana (Quick Guide)
Authored By: Lagniappe Law Lab The information in this post is from the Louisiana Bar Foundation and its Lagniappe Law Lab. Link to site. The step by step chart is very short and direct – worth a quick review! Infographic: … Read More
Tips & Tools for Providing High-Quality Legal Representation to Children and Parents in Child Welfare Proceedings: Out-of-Court Advocacy
Out-of-court advocacy is critical in every child welfare legal proceeding. As an attorney for the child or parent, you must be a highly skilled litigator and be willing to use the court process to meet your client’s goals. You must … 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
Trauma Exposure Response: A Resource for Child Welfare Attorneys
As a child welfare attorney, you are regularly exposed to trauma. This repeated exposure to the intimate details of traumatic events results in negative behavioral, physical, and emotional consequences that can affect your professional and personal life. Trauma exposure response … Read More
Getting Down to Basics: Tools to Support LGBTQ Youth in Care
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people are in America’s child welfare and juvenile justice systems in disproportionate numbers. Like all young people in care, they have the right to be safe and protected. All too often, however, … Read More
Utilizing Title IV-E Funds to Support High Quality Legal Representation for Children & Youth Who are in Foster Care
ACYF-CB-IM-21-06 Issued: January 14, 2021 from Children’s Bureau Memorandum from the Administration for Children and Families. The purpose of this information memorandum (IM) is to urge all state and tribal title IV-E agencies, courts, administrative offices of the courts, and … Read More
Qualifications and Standards for Attorneys Representing Children in Need of Care
Background Since its enactment in 1974, CAPTA has required appointment of a “guardian ad litem” in “every case involving an abused or neglected child which results in a judicial proceeding.” States must meet this requirement, among others, in order to … Read More