Purpose These policy positions were developed to strengthen and support the work of juvenile prosecution. They are designed to be read in conjunction with NDAA’s National Prosecution Standards, Fourth Edition (2023), Section V, Juvenile Justice. While every state has its … Read More
Attorneys
Advocating For Reasonable Efforts For LGBTQIA+ Youth In Foster Care
Attorneys representing children and youth in foster care cases have an affirmative duty to advance equity for their clients. This responsibility is particularly important when providing legal representation to LGBTQIA+ youth, who experience disproportionate and disparate child welfare outcomes. NACC … Read More
Exploring the Contours of Expert Testimony Regarding Child Sexual Abuse Accommodation Syndrome
The term “child sexual abuse accommodation syndrome” (CSAAS) was initially coined by psychiatrist Roland Summit in 1983 in an effort to understand the various ways children react to sexual abuse. From an evidentiary perspective, not all states recognize CSAAS as … Read More
Caddo Juvenile Services’ Trauma-Informed Care Used as Statewide Model for LDH Youth, Families Initiative
The Louisiana Department of Health announced that it will adopt a statewide approach to preventing and addressing trauma across all child-serving agencies. Whole Health Louisiana is the state’s first attempt at addressing childhood adversity and trauma through the integration of … Read More
FAMILY JUSTICE JOURNAL: The Need For Belonging
If we cared about the harm of separating children from their parents, we’d be far less likely to do it. If we were serious about ending racial disparity, we would see it decline sharply. The reality is there has been … Read More
Adoption Triad: Tribal Customary Adoption
Tribal Customary Adoption Tribal customary adoption is a cultural practice within Indigenous communities that aims to ensure a child is taken care of when there is a parental death or inability to provide care. This practice offers children stability and … Read More
Trauma-Informed Legal Representation for Youth in Sexual-Abuse-to-Prison Pipeline
When we criminalize the behavioral results of trauma, we set in motion a cycle of abuse and imprisonment that has harmful consequences for child victims. A few years ago, the Wilbanks Child Endangerment and Sexual Exploitation (CEASE) Clinic at the … Read More
Barriers to Authentic Youth Engagement in Permanency Planning
The Quality Improvement Center on Engaging Youth in Finding Permanency (QIC-EY) is a cooperative agreement, funded by the Children’s Bureau, which is charged with advancing child welfare programs and practice to ensure that children and youth in the child welfare … Read More
Representing Families of Children with Diabetes Facing Child Abuse and Neglect Investigations
I. Introduction Parents and guardians of children with diabetes strive to keep life as normal as possible for their children. They have to work closely with their children’s school and doctor in order to ensure that they are properly cared … Read More
A Research-Based Question and Answer Resource on Sex Trafficking for Youth-Supporting Professionals
This website answers common questions that youth-supporting professionals may have about sex trafficking, describes warning signs that a young person may be a sex trafficking survivor, and offers tips for starting conversations with young people who may be sex trafficking … Read More