In a December 4, 2020, Letter to the Field – Ensuring the Continuation of Critical Court Hearings, the federal Children’s Bureau urges courts and child welfare agencies to continue working together to ensure that access to justice continues and that critical judicial oversight occur in child welfare proceedings during these difficult times.
Addressing Trauma Exposure for Attorneys – ABA Webinar
RECORDED WEBINAR – Child welfare attorneys are regularly exposed to and interacting with trauma. This webinar, from the ABA, covers how to identify and address trauma exposure responses, including practical steps legal organizations and attorneys can take to mitigate the impact of trauma, so that attorneys are able to provide high-quality legal representation and be the best advocates for their clients.
Building Partnerships Between Parents and Caregivers – ABA Webinar
RECORDED WEBINAR Birth Parent National Network leaders and lawyers who work as part of interdisciplinary legal representation teams share new Birth and Foster Parent Partnership Tools, the importance of parents and caregivers working together to achieve positive outcomes for children, and how the legal team can support the relationships between parents and caregivers.
Understanding COVID-19 Risks for Various Activities
A useful chart, created by the Texas Medical Association, to help identify the risks of potentially contracting COVID-19 when participating in a range of activities. This tool can help families and caregivers make informed choices – and support good decision-making for in-person Family Time plans.
Building Family Partnerships Town Hall – December 9, 2020
UPCOMING EVENT The Washington State Building Family Partnerships planning group and the Casey Family Foundation are hosting statewide virtual town hall discussions on December 9, 2020. The event will include a discussion about the benefits that children experience when parents and caregivers work together, as well as ideas for how these adults can be supported to build relationships.
Incarcerated Parents’ Access to Virtual Dependency Hearings
The Department of Corrections is now providing mandatory virtual participation in child-dependency court hearings for incarcerated parents to ensure access when in-person participation is unsafe due to the pandemic. Current policy and procedures are provided in a DOC memo.
Court and Judicial Guidelines for Improving the Dependency System
RESOURCE What should judicial officers do to improve dependency court practice and support healthy and safe outcomes for children and their families? The Enhanced Resource Guidelines provide best practices and tools to answer that question. From the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.
Making Reasonable Efforts Findings in a Pandemic – NCJFCJ Webinar
WEBINAR The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) hosted a webinar on Making Reasonable Efforts Findings in a Pandemic. Taught by NCJFCJ Past President Judge R. Michael Key, the webinar and related materials help juvenile and family court participants understand the importance of examining reasonable efforts during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Supreme Court Extended and Revised Order Re: Dependency and Termination Cases
On October 14, 2020, the Supreme Court of Washington issued a Revised Emergency Order on Dependency and Termination Cases, modifying certain provisions of its April 30th order to better guide court operations going forward in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Engaging and Empowering Parents – the Parents for Parents Program
WEBINAR Parents for Parents and the Court Improvement Training Academy hosted a webinar on engaging and empowering parents in the dependency court system. Recorded on October 30, 2020.