Written by Associate Commissioner Aysha E. Schomburg One of the best ways that we can support children and families is to care for them in our daily lives, in our communities. I’m sure many of us can remember seeing stories … Read More
Child Welfare
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
2021 Annie E. Casey KIDSCOUNT Data Book Released
SUMMARY The 32nd edition of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT® Data Book describes how children across the United States were faring before — and during — the coronavirus pandemic. This year’s publication continues to deliver the Foundation’s annual state rankings 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
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
Supporting School Stability for Children in Foster Care during COVID-19 and Beyond
As a judge overseeing child welfare cases, you play a critical role ensuring children and youth in foster care are staying on track and making progress in school. Federal law prioritizes education stability for these children and mandates coordination by … Read More
Supporting Remote Family Time During the Pandemic and Beyond: The Judge’s Role
This Judge’s Action Alert highlights: trends in use of remote family time by the legal child welfare community during the pandemic; benefits and drawbacks of using remote family time approaches; keys to effective remote family time; how judges can support remote family … Read More