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
Judicial
Five Ways to Serve Youth Through the Family First Prevention Services Act
A recent brief from the Center for the Study of Social Policy details five opportunities within the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) of 2018 for states to build a prevention continuum that focuses on healthy adolescent development. The brief also aims … 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
Family First Prevention Services Act: Implementing the Provisions that Support Kinship Families
The Family First Prevention Services Act (Family First Act) makes historic reforms to the childwelfare system to better support children, families, and kinship caregivers, and promote a kin-firstculture. Many of the reforms have significant implications for connecting children to kinship … Read More
Child Welfare Court Cases Involving Prenatal Substance Use: Policy Considerations
State supreme and appellate courts presiding over civil child protection cases often decide legal issues relating to a mother’s prenatal use of substances. As courts answer questions that arise during child welfare proceedings, they often interpret state civil child abuse … Read More
How Judges Can Support Family Reunification through Parent–Resource Parent Partnerships
Something profound happens when parents and resource parents work together and support one another during child welfare system involvement. The parent knows the person who is caring for their child and feels supported while working towards reunification. The resource parent … Read More
Opioids and the Courts- Difficult Conversations
The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) with support from the State Justice Institute (SJI) hosted a series of five webinars titled Opioids and the Courts- Difficult Conversations. The NCJFCJ and expert faculty explored challenges associated with referring children and … Read More
Using a Trauma-Informed Approach With Parents of Color in Family Court
A Report by Tricia Stephens, LCSW-R, Ph.D. Shifting to more trauma-informed practices in family court has been shown to improve outcomes for families. A report presented on the Rise website details the importance of using a trauma-informed approach in working … Read More
Family First Planning & Readiness Toolkit
The Family First Prevention Services Act is a unique opportunity to implement more prevention-oriented and family-centered child welfare systems. The tools in this kit align with the first phase of Family First Implementation: planning and readiness. These Chapin Hall tools … Read More
Family First Prevention Services Act Website
Signed into law on February 9, 2018, as a part of the Bipartisan Budget Act (HR. 1892), Family First includes long-overdue historic reforms to help keep children safely with their families and avoid the traumatic experience of entering foster care. In … Read More