The Survey of Youth Transitioning from Foster Care (SYTFC) collected information from youth currently and formerly in foster care in two states who were at risk for human trafficking experiences based on their demographic characteristics, maltreatment allegations, and removal and … Read More
Attorneys
April Is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Every April, the Children’s Bureau observes National Child Abuse Prevention Month (NCAPM) to raise public awareness of child abuse and neglect, recommit efforts and resources aimed at protecting children and strengthening families, and promote community involvement through activities that support … Read More
The Little Agency That Could: Louisiana’s Mental Health Advocacy Service
By Rebecca May-Ricks and Kathy Lynn Cook, Published in American Bar Association – Children’s Rights Litigation (online) The Mental Health Advocacy Service (MHAS) was established in the late 1970s as part of Louisiana’s Division of Administration under the Office of … Read More
Child Welfare Hearing Quality Research: What Legal Professionals Should Know
As a legal professional who participates in child welfare court hearings, you can benefit from understanding how the quality of the hearing affects the case process and outcomes. Having this information can help you prepare for and participate in hearings. … Read More
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
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
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
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