Attorneys

Adoption and Guardianship for Children in Kinship Foster Care

The laws dictating how adoption and guardianship are granted, by which court, and what those options entail are developed at the state and tribal levels, so the intricacies for obtaining these legal relationships differ. The Brief The brief provides general … Read More

Clearinghouse Approves New Mental Health, Substance Abuse Programs for Family First Act Funding

Last month, the clearinghouse that greenlights foster care prevention services approved several iterations of a mental intervention known as Dialectical Behavior Therapy, as well as a positive reinforcement approach to treating substance abuse. The clearinghouse was established in relation to … Read More

Child Welfare Law Career Guide

Introduction From the moment a child is removed from their parents and placed in foster care, everything is at stake — their home, school, community, and relationships with family and friends . Although the child welfare system was designed to … Read More

Children in Residential Treatment Facilities Face Multiple Risks: Senate Report

Children who are in residential treatment facilities are at risk for sexual and emotional abuse, physical restraint and overmedication, a new Senate report found. The report, conducted by the Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, … Read More

The Kids Are Not Alright: A Look into the Absence of Laws Protecting Children in Social Media

INTRODUCTION AND DEFINITION OF THE ISSUE In the age of social media, children do not have the same privacy at home as previous generations. Imagine a child growing up in 2023, going to school, playing with friends, and getting into … Read More

The Misdiagnosed and Overmedicated Children in Foster Care

Introduction There is an understanding among professionals working within the family policing system that most children entering foster care have experienced trauma either from their home environment, system involvement (including being removed from their home), or from an out-of-home placement … Read More

FROM CHILD WELFARE TO WELL-BEING: A Blueprint for CBOs and Government Agencies

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The US child welfare system incentivizes a reactionary rather than a proactive response, resulting in cases of child abuse and neglect that could have been avoided. Within the system, well-established business models and federal financial incentives are designed … Read More

Supporting Timely and Successful Reunifications

Safe and timely family reunification is the primary permanency option for most children and youth who have been removed from their parent’s care. All children belong with family, and family separation is a traumatic experience for both children and parents. … Read More

The Role of Parent Partner Programs in Supporting Prevention and Reunification

A brief from Casey Family Programs discusses the positive impacts of parent partner programs in child welfare, such as offering guidance and hope to parents navigating challenging circumstances. Focusing on reunification, these programs provide support by drawing on the firsthand experiences of … Read More

New Training on Adapting Family Finding and Engagement Practices for LGBTQ+ Youth

A new online training from the National SOGIE Center provides information on supporting young people who identify as LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, or other gender or sexual identity) during family finding and engagement processes. The free, 45-minute training provides information … Read More