Quality Legal Representation
High-quality legal representation for parents and children in child welfare proceedings has many benefits, including increased parental engagement, more frequent visitation, and better access to services. Most importantly, quality legal representation for families has been shown to reduce the length of time children must spend in foster care — and in some cases, prevent family…
Pre-Petition Legal Representation for Parents & Youth in Child Welfare
The Family Justice Initiative hosted a webinar on September 23, 2020 on pre-petition legal representation for parents and youth in the child welfare system. Presenters discussed pre-petition representation programs, including funding, getting started, relationship with the child welfare agency as a referral source, best practices and outcomes. Presenters included: · Adam Ballout, Family Intervention Response to…
Special Series: The Moment Is Now
Read Children’s Bureau Express call to action to chart a different course to strengthen families through primary prevention and create a more just and equitable system focused on child and family well-being. This article series consensus statement that stresses how we must all value and invest in families and communities.
Article: Investing in Youth and Families
FJI Communications Workgroup Co-Chair Kathleen Creamer writes about the importance of investing in families and supporting kinship caregivers.
Leaning Into Discomfort and Disruption: A Call to Action for Children’s Attorneys
Kim Dvorechak, National Association of Counsel for Children executive director and FJI Communications Workgroup member describes how children’s lawyers can examine and improve their practice.
Article: After Years of Doing It Wrong as a Judge…l Know We Can Do Better!
Judge William Thorne writes about keeping families safe through community: After Years of Doing It Wrong as a Judge…l Know We Can Do Better!
Article: Fault Lines and Opportunities
FJI Executive Team Member Prudence Beidler Carr co-authors an article about ways to improve the child welfare legal system to safeguard family integrity.
Webinar – News You Can Use: Title IV-E Child Welfare Funding for Legal Representation
FJI Executive Team Member Joanne Moore will be presenting on using Title IVE funds for legal representation on September 22, 2020.
It’s Not Enough To Mean Well
FJI Communications Workgroup Co-chair Cathy Krebs discusses racism in child welfare in her article for The Imprint, “It’s Not Enough to Mean Well”.
Webinar: Pre-Petition Legal Representation for Parents and Youth
The Family Justice Initiative is hosting a webinar on pre-petition legal representation for parents and youth in the child welfare system. Presenters will discuss pre-petition representation programs, including funding, getting started, relationship with the child welfare agency as a referral source, best practices and outcomes. The webinar will be on September 23, from 3:00 to…
Active Efforts in ICWA Cases During the Pandemic
Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) cases are being severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic: courts are delaying time sensitive hearings, tribal family’s visits are being disrupted or canceled altogether, and case plan services are being put on hold. This raises concerns of whether active efforts tribal families need in order to reunite with their children…