The Children's Law Podcast: Recent Episodes
True North Child Advocates
A provocative look at the profession of representing children, the future of the field, and how advocacy can transform the child welfare system.
In this episode, Angela talks with Tim Keller of the Center for the Rights of Abused Children about asserting constitutional rights on behalf of your clients. You won't want to miss this discussion!
For more information about the Center for Abused Children: Center for the Rights of Abused Children
We discussed this free resource to jumpstart your practice:
A Practice Manual for Lawyers Representing Abused and Neglected Children; Asserting, Arguing, and Appealing the Constitutional Rights of Children in Foster Care
In this episode, Angela, Jim and John discuss the way immigration policies and enforcement are harming children. We reference the following quote by Nelson Mandela as we discuss these issues: "There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children."
As mentioned in the episode, we want to offer a way for you to reach out to members of Congress. Here are two options to locate your Representatives and Senators:
Official: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
More User Friendly: https://democracy.io/#!/
Below is a template you can use to write to members of Congress. It is designed for children’s attorneys, but if you have found this podcast and are in a different field, feel free to adapt it to suit your background.
Dear Representative/Senator (insert name)
I am a constituent of yours and a children’s attorney who practices in your district. I am writing concerning the aggressive enforcement of immigration policies and its impact on children. While reasonable people can disagree on immigration policy, I am writing with a very simple request. Whatever we do, can we please take care not to harm or traumatize children? Our government should not harm a single child - whether here through legal means or not.
As a children’s attorney, I am well versed in the adverse impact of trauma on young children. Subjecting thousands of children to an environment where they live in fear of losing one or both parents to detention or sudden deportation, or of being detained themselves in substandard conditions, will have dire consequences for us as a society. Childhood trauma creates lifelong challenges, and we will pay this bill eventually. And to the extent children themselves are detained, I have serious concerns about detention conditions and their negative impact on child health and well-being.
The administration’s aggressive enforcement of immigration policy seems designed to strike fear in the hearts of immigrants whether undocumented or going through the legal process. The problem is it seems as if the administration has forgotten that the children are watching. And it’s not just immigrant children being harmed. American children are also watching this play out in real time, and it is harming them as well.
When children’s attorneys are faced with a domestic violence case, one of the first things we point out to the parents is that the violence occurred while their children were in the room watching. I am asking you to remember that the children are in the room. We need to be the adults in the room and put our children first. Thank you for listening and taking action to protect our children.
In this episode, John, Jim and Angela discuss the transformative power of filing claims on behalf of your clients. We discuss your duty as a children's lawyer and the specific benefits to your clients.
If you have questions or suggested podcast topics, you can reach us by email (angela@childrenslaw.org).
If you like the podcast, please share with your colleagues, subscribe and rate the show!
In this episode, John and Angela take on the difficult topic of creating and holding boundaries with child clients. Filled with nuance and contradictions, the topic of boundaries is challenging for many children's lawyers. We hope you enjoy the discussion!
Feel free to reach out with comments or episode ideas to Angela, at angela@childrenslaw.org.
Preventive and pre-petition advocacy is not in all jurisdictions, but when the Title IV-E rule clarified that this representation was eligible for reimbursement, expansion increased. Angela asks Emilie Cook to explain how it works. Emilie is a Senior Attorney at the Barton Child Law and Policy Center at Emory University School of Law and leads the Preventive Legal Advocacy and Pre-petition Program National Cohort to focus on early intervention and holistic support for at-risk families.
The Barton Center has a PLA/PP Cohort that anyone can join to learn more, and here is a link to a fact sheet developed with the National Association of Counsel for Children. We hope you learned something new and valuable, and if you did, please rate and share the podcast!
Despite progress, children involved in both dependency and delinquency proceedings still have higher risks for poor outcomes. Crossover, dually-involved, or dual-adjudicated youth have greater mental health challenges, poorer placement stability, and worse permanency outcomes. John, Angela and Deborah talk about what an already-busy child's attorney might do and, as importantly, why.
A LOT of the kids we're representing are being prescribed psychotropic medications - especially the older youth. John, Angela, and Deborah talk about ways children's attorneys can get more information and confidence in this area to effectively advocate for clients even if we don't have medical expertise:
The NIH says children in foster care are 6.8% more likely to be prescribed psychotropic medication than their non-foster care peers. As children's attorneys and not medical professionals, it is not our role to diagnose, but it is our role to make sure decision-makers have complete information, ask questions, and make sure everyone has done their due diligence before our clients are added to this very high number.
* Some children need medicine but what's the full picture? Are the problematic behaviors related to a trauma response? Do they persist across all aspects of the child's life (home, school, etc.)? Are there other therapies or supports that should be used instead of or in addition to the medication?
* Is everyone following the law?* Because of the severity of side effects of some psychotropic medications and because some are not approved for use in children specifically, most states have detailed statutes, administrative rules, and/or operating procedures. Sometimes just holding the system accountable to the child by ensuring the law is followed is enough to protect your client.
In this episode, Angela interviews Professor Vivek Sankaran, Director of the Child Advocacy Law and Child Welfare Appellate Clinics at the University of Michigan's School of Law. Professor Sankaran encourages stakeholders to question whether TPR is in the best interests of as many children as we think it is. He and Angela talk about his article, The ties that bind us: An empirical, clinical, and constitutional argument against terminating parental rights, which found over 60,000 TPRs were granted annually between 2016-2019, despite a declining foster care population. While recognizing TPR is necessary in some cases, he poses some thoughtful questions for others.
A new book “Families Belong Together,” was released by Public Knowledge to help elevate and honor the voices of individuals with lived experience and make the case for reimagining our child welfare system. Stacey Moss, Public Knowledge President and CEO, and Will Hornsby, Senior Vice President of Delivery, talk with Angela about the group’s idea to “replace” the current system with a community-oriented, strengths-focused approach that matches the social, economic, racial, ethnic, and religious realities of each community. The book features stories of families who navigated the system, and serves as a call to action. Stacey, Will, and Angela talk about whether to keep tinkering with improvements on the current system or construct something new and different. As always, there are tips on how children’s attorneys can make an impact.
Get the full picture. Getting comprehensive information will help get the “right diagnosis” and better tailored solutions.
* Talk to your client. Every family has strengths that can serve as natural supports and mitigate risks.
* Get creative. Advocate for what works for the family, instead of defaulting to what is best for the people that do this work every day.
* Focus on what brought the child into the system* to hone in on what is necessary to get the family out.
Stacey says it feels like we're in a fight between safety and permanency - at the expense of focusing on well-being of children and families. Public Knowledge wants to change that. Their powerful book is filled with concrete ideas and stories that can be used for training and to facilitate conversations about how the system can be better. The content of the book is available on the website for free and is being sold on Amazon. Here is the link to the book:
https://go.pubknow.com/families-belong-together-book
Public Knowledge also has a podcast and we invite you to listen in. Click the link to access the Igniting Impact Podcast: https://pubknow.com/media-center/podcast/
January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and we want to give children's attorneys some perspectives on advocating for child victims going forward. Angela talked to Professor Emma Hetherington, from the Wilbanks Child Endangerment and Sexual Exploitation Clinic at University of Georgia School of Law (CEASE Clinic) about how identifying the individualized needs of HT/CSEC victims can lead to better outcomes for safety and independent living.
Professor Hetherington offered resources to learn more:* Harm Reduction Series Introduction, California Child Trafficking Response Unit (2018): https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/BTB25-3E-01.pdf * Harm Reduction Series Caregiver, California Child Trafficking Response Unit (2022): https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/lac/1125790_CaregiverHarmReductionI-31_22.pdf
You can click the title to hear our previous discussion with Professor Hetherington, "When Your Client is A Victim of Sex Trafficking" and see links to even more resources. Thanks for being our listener and please like, subscribe and share!
Children's attorneys are critically important to the functioning and success of child welfare - but it doesn't always feel that way. Why do we do it? How do you stay in this field and not burn out? Angela, John, and Jim share their perspectives and give a little pep talk to kick off 2025.
In 2017, the Safe Havens report was published to "Close the Gap Between Recommended Practice and Reality for Transgender and Gender-Expansive Youth in Out-of-Home Care." The report has been updated to reflect current research and resources for LGBQ+ and transgender, nonbinary, gender diverse (TNGD) youth, along with giving lived experience perspectives and a call to action. In this episode, Angela talks to two of the contributors, Elliott Hinkle of Unicorn Solutions and Emilio Valladolid, both with lived experience in the child welfare system.
The Safe Havens II Report can be used as both a legal and practical resource. The podcast discussion highlighted a few:
* Glossary by Center for the Study of Social Policy: https://cssp.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Key-Equity-Terms-and-Concepts-vol1.pdf
* Centerlink LGBTQ Center Association: https://www.lgbtqcenters.org/LGBTCenters
* Trevor Project for mental health: https://www.thetrevorproject.org
The report will provide attorneys of all levels of experience with tools for their cases and a greater understanding of TNGD and LGBQ+ clients - check it out:
https://lambdalegal.org/safe-havens-report/safe-havens-full-report/.
Ever come across a case plan packed with tasks that have little to do with a family's actual challenges? What is the child's attorney's role? Angela and Jim dive into this topic, discussing how children's attorneys can influence case planning. They explore the gap between ideal practices and what is happening on the ground, and share how a child's attorney can take a proactive role to benefit their clients.
That's the rate at which infants and toddlers are being removed from their homes in the U.S. according to new research from Zero to Three, and this age group makes up nearly 50% of the foster care population. What should children's attorneys know when advocating for this population? Angela interviewed Shannon Felder, Training Director from the NACC to get some practical advice and a preview of NACC's upcoming Infants and Toddlers series. Some of the issues discussed included:
* Are sibling bonds among infants and toddlers being discounted because they haven't had time to solidify yet?
* What does "compassionate advocacy" look like in the context of children 0-5?
* For attorneys representing these children, does secondary trauma hit differently?
Child welfare research is always evolving, so for attorneys who want to learn more the NACC is offering a four-part training begins October 30. Click here for details and to register.
In this episode we're talking about staying in the profession, with ideas for both individual attorneys and organizations. The reality is there isn't always money available to retain employees in this field, even if they love it. Angela, Jim, and Deborah (a new voice) discuss strategies they've used and new ideas from their facilitated discussion at the National Association of Counsel for Children conference.
In this episode Angela interviews Jonathan Budd, Associate Executive Director from KidsVoice in Pittsburgh about strategies KidsVoice uses to retain lawyers. Jonathan says if he had to emphasize two things they would be flexibility and time off - things people can control regardless of how much money they have or how much fundraising ability exists.
In this episode, Angela talks with Shannon Felder, Training Director at the National Association of Counsel for Children. Listen to learn about upcoming training opportunities and ways to connect with fellow children's lawyers. And be sure to join us at the NACC conference in Salt Lake City August 12-14, 2024! We will be presenting at the preconference Children's Law Office Project Convening. We hope to see you there!
Click HERE to register
To learn more about NACC membership or to join, click HERE.
Have you ever seen a dependency case that looks more like a tennis match? The parties volleying back and forth, waiting to see if the parents will succeed? In some jurisdictions, everyone is doing their job, but no one is leading. In this episode, we want to encourage children's attorneys to take charge. We think one of the most consequential things you can do for your clients is to think of yourself as lead counsel. Listen to learn how you can boldly step into the role of lead counsel and achieve better outcomes for your clients.
Some of our child clients have been talking to John and Jim about adoption, which inspired an episode about how we think of adoption as children's attorneys:
It's important to understand all the things that come with and all the things that get taken away* with adoption.
* Federal policies and local practices seem to swing on a pendulum as to whether adoption is to be emphasized or strenuously avoided, but we focus on finding the best possible option for each singular client and keep it in our tool belts.
* One way we think of the issue is that adoption is about the risk of harm from the continued pursuit of reunification versus the risk of harm due to the loss of their birth family. As a child's attorney, knowing your client and the dynamics affecting them will help you recognize when adoption might be the best strategy for the child. Thanks for listening and please share with others who might find the podcast helpful!
Placement decisions happen fast and are made by the agency - usually without any input from attorneys representing children. The child's placement impacts the case A LOT so we wanted to do a podcast about the things we think about when it comes to placement.
* It's the agency's job to find a placement right away, but evaluating whether the placement will ultimately facilitate permanency for the child is yours. If reunification seems likely, should the kids be with a couple that wants to adopt? If TPR looks probable, do you let a baby stay in a placement that separates her from her 11 year old sister?
* Getting the home study and critically reviewing it can help identify omissions that will help keep the child safe or, alternatively, possibilities for placement that shouldn't be ruled out.
* Talking to the child - both at the placement and away from the home - is always important. Listen and trust your instincts.
Children's attorneys don't always have a lot of options when it comes to impacting the child's placement. However, since the placement impacts your overall legal strategy it can't be considered in a vacuum. We hope our discussion gives you some ideas for your jurisdiction!
We talk about work culture and retention a lot in child welfare. Angela talks with Cathy Krebs, Director of the ABA's Children’s Rights Litigation Committee who thinks a new approach to these topics could lead to ways to improve representation. A few of the subjects covered were:
Burnout and self-care - Cathy tells a story of a child client who's attorney seemed so distracted and overwhelmed that the child decided not to "burden" the lawyer with what was happening in her life. The need for self-care is real, and doing anything from singing to cooking to meditation has benefit.
* Mentorship - Attorneys with even a couple years of experience can help others who don't know the culture or may be working alone.
* Community* - If you're a solo practitioner or in a smaller children's law office, there are things you can do within existing resources to create a supportive network, like brown bag lunches or collaborating on systemic advocacy.
The ABA's Children's Rights Committee has resources on this topic and tons of others. Some of the studies mentioned include:
The Future of Children’s Lawyering
Practical Tips for Addressing Burnout
Using Reflective Case Consultation to Battle Burnout and Secondary Traumatic Stress
2021 Illinois Legal Aid Recruitment and Retention Study
What Draws Attorneys to Child Welfare Practice
The Case for a Centralized Office for Legal Representation in Child Welfare Cases
Sometimes you can move a case with legal arguments and procedural tools, but other times, you have to win hearts and minds. In our newest podcast, Jim, John and Angela share how learning to message in this way can help your child client.
Angela and Jim discuss the adversarial nature of the dependency system, and how to find a balance between a collaborative and adversarial approach to representing children.
Children's attorneys can't do it all, but in our experience, doing certain things consistently in each case can improve representation and outcomes. We call it practicing with fidelity.
For our 50th Episode we wanted to give some concrete tips to our listeners. Listen to this episode to learn three actionable strategies that make a difference when repeated consistently.
John and Angela discuss a tool that can be used to move cases forward - the motion to compel.
In this episode, John, Jim and Angela discuss the cornerstone of their practice philosophy - keeping the focus on the child's number one legal problem.
What information or opportunities do child welfare practitioners miss if assumptions are made about a child’s cultural background, family history, or zip code? Angela interviews Phyllis Stricklan, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Children’s Law Center of California. Phyllis talks about common struggles for children’s attorneys and the need to understand how disproportionality and making assumptions impacts families. “Pause,” Phyllis says - ask questions, and read to effectively challenge experiences and biases. Phyllis recommends the Family Justice Initiative’s Race Equity Toolkit as a place to start (link below) and Angela reminds everyone of the upcoming conference for the National Association of Counsel for Children August 10-12, 2023. Registration is still open! Click here to register now.
Race Equity Toolkit: https://familyjusticeinitiative.org/race-equity-tool-kit/
In this episode, sponsored by the National Association of Counsel for Children, Angela interviews David Ambroz, author of the memoir “A Place Called Home” and keynote speaker at the upcomingNACC Conference in Minneapolis. After growing up homeless and then in foster care, David graduated from Vassar College and later earned his J.D. from UCLA School of Law. He is now the Head of Community Engagement (West) for Amazon, a national poverty and child welfare expert and advocate, and a foster dad.
In this episode, David provides a powerful perspective on the intersection of homelessness and child welfare. He talks specifically about how his attorneys impacted his journey. David also encourages people to focus on the progress being made within our admittedly imperfect systems and gives concrete strategies to continue pushing that progress forward.
Join us at the NACC Conference August 10-12, 2023. Click here to register.
To learn more about David Ambroz, visit his website and the website of his nonprofit, FosterMore. You can follow David on Instagram @hjdambroz and Twitter @DaveAmbroz.
In this episode, Angela, John and Jim talk about how to handle those difficult cases where you get what you asked for, but it doesn't go as planned.
In this episode, Jim and Angela discuss using case plans to ensure the state agency is preparing your teen client for successful adulthood, rather than just meeting federal requirements for youth aging out of the child welfare system.
This interview starts with Dr. Emma Hetherington explaining why she thinks a huge barrier to effectively serving HT/CSEC populations is that stakeholders don't fully understand what trafficking is. In this powerful podcast, Dr. Hetherington, from the Wilbanks Child Endangerment and Sexual Exploitation Clinic at University of Georgia School of Law (CEASE Clinic), reveals how children's circumstances and behaviors need to be examined differently when exploitation and trafficking issues are involved. She discusses tips for attorneys representing HT/CSEC survivors, screening tools, the harm reduction approach, and how to build trust with youth. We hope you learn as much as we did!
Here are the resources referenced in the podcast:* Red Flags of CSEC and Child Trafficking, New York State Office of Children and Family Services: https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/human-trafficking/assets/docs/red-flags-of-CSEC-and-child-trafficking.pdf
* Trust-Based Relational Intervention: https://child.tcu.edu/blog-tbri-ffpsa/#sthash.c5E1aPKh.dpbs
For a deep dive, check out these resources: * How can the child welfare system protect young people from commercial sexual exploitation?, Casey Family Programs Strategy Brief (November 2022): https://www.casey.org/media/22.07-QFF-SC-CSEC-update.pdf * Child Sex Trafficking Warning Signs, Shared Hope International: http://sharedhope.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/General-Warning-Signs.pdf * Summary of Screening Tools: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/opre/IAHT%20Screening%20Brief%204.22.pdf * Criminalized Survivors: Today’s Abuse to Prison Pipeline for Girls (April 2023): https://genderjusticeandopportunity.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Criminalized-Survivors_Georgetown-Gender-Justice.pdf * Sexual Abuse to Prison Pipeline: The Girls’ Story (2020): https://genderjusticeandopportunity.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/The-Sexual-Abuse-To-Prison-Pipeline-The-Girls%E2%80%99-Story.pdf * Harm Reduction Series Introduction, California Child Trafficking Response Unit (2018): https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/BTB25-3E-01.pdf * Harm Reduction Series Caregiver, California Child Trafficking Response Unit (2022): https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/lac/1125790_CaregiverHarmReductionI-31_22.pdf
In this episode, Angela, John and Jim talk about understanding your teen client, helping them set goals for their future, some ways to help them stay on track, and navigating the ups and downs when representing older youth.
If you're representing older youth, the issues may look the same, but the perspective is likely different. We recorded this podcast to help attorneys understand how the experiences of older children impact permanency and how to move forward. We've got some practical tips on identifying what family means to teens and strategies for attorneys to guide these youth to a place that feels like home.
In this episode we talk with Kristen Pisani-Jacques, the NACC's training director. We reflect on some themes from the 2022 conference in Baltimore and highlight what is coming in the online conference. The NACC Online Conference is September 21-23, 2022, and features 17 sessions. You can register for the conference here.
This episode is sponsored by the National Association of Counsel for Children. Join us at the NACC annual conference in Baltimore, August 22-24, 2022. The theme is Bridging Theory to Practice: Learning and Unlearning to Drive Effective Advocacy. We hope to see you there!
In this episode we talk with Professor Kristin Henning, The Blume Professor of Law and Director of the Juvenile Justice Clinic and Initiative at Georgetown Law. Professor Henning discusses the traumatic effects of policing on children of color, and how children's lawyers can respond.
Professor Henning is the author of Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth. She also mentioned several other resources, including Torn Apart: How the Child Welfare System Destroys Black Families--and How Abolition Can Build a Safer World, by Dorothy Roberts; Seeing What's Underneath: A Resource for Understanding Behavior and Using Language in Juvenile Court; and, for NACC members, her recent article in The Guardian, What Counsel for Children Need to Know About the Traumatic Effects of Policing (p. 31).
This episode is a companion to Trauma and the Children's Lawyer. The arriving exercise is something you can use when you are feeling stressed out or overwhelmed. It can help you to regulate yourself so you are prepared to meet with clients, go to court, or even go home. It is not recommended that you try this while driving. Thanks to Cynthia Bowkley for this helpful tool!
This episode was developed in partnership with the National Association of Counsel for Children. Join us at the NACC's national conference in Baltimore August 22-24, 2022! Click HERE to learn more and register!
In this episode we interview two of the presenters at the NACC conference, Cynthia Bowkley and Rebecca Stahl. Click their names for a link to their webpages. Their presentation at the conference is Trauma-Informed Interviewing, but in this episode we focus more on the role of the children's lawyer in self-regulating and understanding how trauma presents in our clients. We discuss the role of somatic experiencing as a way to help people with trauma. Click HERE for the website of Somatic Experiencing International for more information.
As always, thanks for listening. If you have comments or suggestions you can message us at angela@childrenslaw.org.
In this episode, Angela talks with Cristal Ramirez, the Youth Engagement Manager at the National Association of Counsel for Children. You won't want to miss this one! Her insights on youth engagement are valuable for everyday practice and systems work.
For our next episode, we are looking for a case to review on the show. If you are interested, please send your name, state and a few case details to angela@childrenslaw.org.
In this episode, Angela talks with Stacey Obrecht, President of Public Knowledge, and David Kelly, Director of the Family Integrity & Justice Works at Public Knowledge. Listen to learn about their work and plans to replace the child welfare system as we know it. To learn more, subscribe on the Public Knowledge website. Learn more about Stacey and David below.
Stacey Obrecht JD, CWLS, PMP
President Cheyenne, WY
Since 2021, Stacey has been the President of Public Knowledge®. Stacey is responsible for providing overall direction and leadership for Public Knowledge®, with 20 years of experience working within governmental agencies, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations. She also has extensive experience in training development and implementation; leadership assessments and coaching; organizational change management; and organizational development. Stacey received her juris doctorate from the University of Wyoming and is a certified child welfare law specialist (CWLS) and Project Management Institute (PMI) project management professional (PMP).
David Kelly Director of the Family Integrity & Justice Works Hyattsville, MD
Since 2021, David has been the Director of the Family Integrity & Justice Works at Public Knowledge®. David has 21 years of experience working with nonprofit and public sectors, including roles at the U.S. Children’s Bureau leading the bureau’s work with the legal and judicial community nationally and serving on leadership teams across administrations to promote justice, inclusion and voice for children youth and families, empower communities and prevent the need for unnecessary family separation.
David has had prior roles serving as Director of Legal and Clinical Services for Covenant House NJ, Senior Assistant Child Advocate with the State of New Jersey Office of the Child Advocate and Assistant Staff Director and Staff Attorney at the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law. David received his J.D. from the University at Buffalo Law School and M.A. in political science.
You won't want to miss this episode on race equity with Stephanie S. Franklin, Esq. and Kristen Pisani-Jacques, Training Director at the National Association of Counsel for Children. Stephanie Franklin is the President & CEO of the Franklin Law Group, P.C., a pioneering family justice center in Baltimore that protects the human rights of abused and neglected children in child welfare legal and policy spaces. Recently, Ms. Franklin has been selected as co-counsel in a major federal civil rights class-action lawsuit to protect the civil rights of approximately 3,000 foster care children in Baltimore City. In the episode, Angela talks with Stephanie and Kristen about specific strategies attorneys can use to promote race equity into their work with clients.
In this episode, Angela and Jim talk with Kristen Pisani-Jacques, Training Director for the National Association of Counsel for Children. They discuss 5 issues facing children's lawyers today, and resources available from the NACC. Even if you are a member, this podcast will give you key information that is available to help you right now. Here are a few links referenced in the episode. * COVID-19 Resource Hub: https://www.naccchildlaw.org/page/CoronavirusCOVID-19 * Title IV-E Funding for Legal Representation: https://www.naccchildlaw.org/page/TitleIVforLegalRepresentation * Every Kid Needs a Family: https://www.naccchildlaw.org/page/EveryKidNeedsAFamilyAttorneyAdvocacyGuide * Family First Act & Related Tools: https://www.naccchildlaw.org/page/FamilyFirst * NACC Monthly Webinars: https://www.naccchildlaw.org/page/memberwebinars_public * Become an NACC member!: https://www.naccchildlaw.org/page/Join
In this episode, Angela, John & Jim talk with Dr. Rebecca Parnell about working with different types of mental health providers. For more on Dr. Parnell, click here.
In this episode, Angela and John discuss some of the important lessons we learned in 2020, and how children's lawyers can carry these lessons forward to benefit children and families.
In this episode, Angela, John and Jim discuss strategies to help children's lawyers sleep at night. These strategies focus on keeping children safe, and helping lawyers avoid burnout.
In this episode, Angela, John and Jim discuss some of the risks to children in domestic violence cases. They also share a few interesting strategies you can use the next time you see one of these cases.
In this episode, Angela, John & Jim talk with Dr. Jessica Pryce about racism and the child welfare system. Dr. Pryce is the Director of the Florida Institute for Child Welfare at the Florida State University College of Social Work. The discussion focuses on how children's lawyers can address overrepresentation of black families in the child welfare system.
We recommend you watch Dr. Pryce's Ted Talk: To Transform Child Welfare, Take Race out of the Equation.
Also, we hope you will join as at the NACC Conference beginning August 24th. Click here for more information.
In this episode, Angela, John and Jim discuss a few books, shows and life tips that are relevant to children's lawyers and the child welfare profession.
We would love to hear from you! Send your feedback or suggestions to info@childrenslaw.org.
In this episode, John, Jim and Angela discuss one of the most difficult types of cases lawyers face - when a client has been severely injured. With everything we are facing today, why would we take this issue on? Unfortunately, Orlando has seen a spike in severe abuse cases, even as the overall numbers of cases is on the decline. You can read more about it in the Orlando Sentinel article or Washington Post article. Increases are also being reported in Texas and Pennsylvania. We don’t know if all areas will see this spike, but we do know that most every lawyer who stays in the field long enough will be faced with a client severely injured by a parent or caregiver. This episode highlights a few key strategies and urges lawyers to do an independent review, rather than rushing to judgment.
In this episode, Angela, John and Jim talk about positive developments that are occurring during the pandemic. They may be few and far between, but we are discussing them so you can focus on something positive!
Share good practices with us at info@childrenslaw.org. If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe and share with other children's lawyers. Join our mailing list at childrenslaw.org.
In this episode, John, Jim and Angela discuss legal strategies and practices to move your cases forward. While access to courts varies greatly around the country, there are plenty of ways you can help your clients.
We are planning to record new episodes weekly to address advocacy during the pandemic, and we would love to hear from you. Let us know what topics would be helpful to you during this time. Email us at info@childrens.law.org. You can also subscribe to our email list on our website: www.childrenslaw.org.
Also, click here for an article on the reduction in calls to child abuse hotlines.
In this episode, Angela and John talk with Kristen Pisani-Jacques, Training Director at the National Association of Counsel for Children. The NACC is hosting regular webinars regarding the response of children’s lawyers to the COVID-19 pandemic. We cover some of the most actionable ideas so you can put them to work right away. The NACC also has a resource hub that has many resources for children’s lawyers: https://www.naccchildlaw.org/page/CoronavirusCOVID-19
The pandemic is having many effects on our clients and the important people in their lives. We hope some of these ideas will help you take the next step for your clients.
In this episode, we wrap up Season One by picking our favorite takeaways, and introducing you to Season Two.
We recognize that many of you are struggling to provide representation to your clients in this difficult time. We are working on an episode to give you strategies for now, but we know this will come to an end. And with a likely increase in cases coming our way, strategies to get children home will be sorely needed.
You can reach us with ideas or questions at info@childrenslaw.org.
In our first episodes of 2020, we have a two part series with Judge Scott Bernstein. Judge Bernstein has served as a Circuit Court Judge in Miami for over 22 years. His passion is working with children and families, and he has become a regular keynote speaker in the area of implicit bias. In this episode, Judge Berstein explains implicit bias, how it affects us all, and what we can do about it.
In our first episode of 2020, we have a two part series with Judge Scott Bernstein. Judge Bernstein has served as a Circuit Court Judge in Miami for over 22 years. His passion is working with children and families, and he has become a regular keynote speaker in the area of implicit bias. In this episode, Judge Berstein explains implicit bias, how it affects us all, and what we can do about it.
In this episode, Angela and Bill reveal a secret—that advocating a parent’s position can in fact facilitate the quick achievement of permanency. For example, a child’s attorney ensuring a parent is promptly referred to providers will help determine whether the case plan’s services can be timely achieved.
Advocating for the parent is, of course, in the name of your client—the removed child. By moving to compel referrals for the parent, you are pushing the case to permanency within statutory timeframes. And, you are taking the lead in the litigation to further your client’s emotional stability.
Thank you for listening. We value your feedback. You may email us at info@childrenslaw.org. And please subscribe and rate the podcast, so others can find us.
In this two part series, Angela and Bill interview Leslie Starr Heimov, Executive Director of the Children's Law Center of California.
CLC is the largest children's law office in the country, representing about 33,000 children at any given time. In Part One, we talk with Leslie about caseloads, innovative practices and funding models, and strategies to keep children at home.
For more information on the Family Justice Initiative, see their website here.
We appreciate all of you for listening and we want to hear from you. Please email us at info@childrenslaw.org with your comments.
In this two part series, Angela and Bill interview Leslie Starr Heimov, Executive Director of the Children's Law Center of California.
CLC is the largest children's law office in the country, representing about 33,000 children at any given time. In Part One, we talk with Leslie about caseloads, innovative practices and funding models, and strategies to keep children at home.
We appreciate all of you for listening and we want to hear from you. Please email us at info@childrenslaw.org with your comments.
In this episode, Angela and Bill interview Kim Dvorchak, executive director of the National Association of Counsel for Children. Kim talks with us about The Children’s Law Office Project, member resources, and NACC’s vision for the future.
Here are a few links for you:
NACC Website: https://www.naccchildlaw.org/
Link to join: Join here!
Family First Resource are here.
We enjoyed meeting all of those we interviewed while recording the podcast at the NACC Conference in Anaheim. We are editing those interviews now and will share what we learned with you over future episodes.
Please let us know what you think about the podcast by emailing us at info@childrenslaw.org. And thank you for listening.
Did you know that one in five children in the child welfare system identify as LBGTQ+? In this two part episode, Angela and Bill interview Currey Cook. Currey is the Director of the Youth in Out-of-Home Care Project and Counsel of the National Headquarters of Lambda Legal in New York. He co-authored Safe Havens: Closing the Gap Between Recommended Practice for Transgender and Gender-Expansive Youth in Out-of-Home Care, which offers practical tips to children’s lawyers working with the LGBTQ+ population.
It’s no surprise that a large percentage of foster children are LGBTQ+. Your caseload undoubtedly contains those who identify as being within this population, whether you know it or not. Prejudices and stigma place added stress on them as they work their way through the foster care system. Consequently, it is important for lawyers to ensure these children’s legal rights are protected. Doing so will ensure they are treated fairly and compassionately while in the foster care system.
Currey provides insights and tips to help lawyers address these children’s issues.
We appreciate all of you for listening and we want to hear from you. Please email us at info@childrenslaw.org with your comments.
Did you know that one in five children in the child welfare system identify as LBGTQ+? In this two part episode, Angela and Bill interview Currey Cook. Currey is the Director of the Youth in Out-of-Home Care Project and Counsel of the National Headquarters of Lambda Legal in New York. He co-authored Safe Havens: Closing the Gap Between Recommended Practice for Transgender and Gender-Expansive Youth in Out-of-Home Care, which offers practical tips to children’s lawyers working with the LGBTQ+ population. It’s no surprise that a large percentage of foster children are LGBTQ+. Your caseload undoubtedly contains those who identify as being within this population, whether you know it or not. Prejudices and stigma place added stress on them as they work their way through the foster care system. Consequently, it is important for lawyers to ensure these children’s legal rights are protected. Doing so will ensure they are treated fairly and compassionately while in the foster care system. Currey provides insights and tips to help lawyers address these children’s issues. We appreciate all of you for listening and we want to hear from you. Please email us at info@childrenslaw.org with your comments. Also, come meet us at the NACC conference in Anaheim on August 27, 2019. We are presenting at the conference as well as recording future episodes of this podcast. We look forward to meeting you.
In this episode, Angela talks with Bill about how he has continued to thrive in his children’s law practice. Bill's suggestions have worked for him and we think they can work for you too.
Let us know what you think about this podcast. You can email us at info@childrenslaw.org. You can also meet us at the NACC Conference in Anaheim on August 27th where we are presenting on how children's lawyers can transform the child welfare system.
Thank you for your support and please subscribe.
The four of us are back together to share tips on how to speak with your child clients. The number one question we get from new attorneys, and sometimes experienced attorneys, is how to communicate with our child clients. The ethics rules require us to treat our child clients close to the same as we treat our adult clients. However, we need to recognize the maturity of our clients. We don’t approach every 5 year old the same. Some are surprisingly mature and some are not. In this podcast, we give you tips on how to talk with your clients. We don’t rehash the research and the many articles written. Instead, we encourage you from experience. If you have ever doubted yourself in your communication or ever wanted to give up on a client from feeling ignored, know that we have all had these feelings. It’s your persistence and your listening that will help your client gain the trust she needs to open up to you. And to give you the confidence to ensure you are understood.
We want to hear from you. How can we make this podcast better for you? You can email us at info@childrenslaw.org.
In this two part episode, retired Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente reflects on her career as a leading judicial voice for the protection and enhancement of the legal rights of children and their corresponding need for emotional stability.
While on the bench, she supported the establishment of processes that would minimize the trauma children suffer when removed from their families. She pushed the Florida bench to become a trauma-responsive, developmentally informed court.
She also championed lawyers who represented foster children, recognizing the hard, emotional work they put in to assist these children. She envisions a thriving children’s law office to include the pairing of child trauma specialists with appropriately trained lawyers for children.
This episode is not just for policy wonks. Justice Pariente inspires children’s lawyers to be creative and steadfast in their representation of vulnerable clients and their needs.
For more information on the family court trauma and child development toolkit mentioned in the episode, please see this link, https://www.flcourts.org/Resources-Services/Court-Improvement/Family-Courts/Family-Court-Basics2/Family-Court-Tool-Kit-Trauma-and-Child-Development
In this two part episode, retired Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente reflects on her career as a leading judicial voice for the protection and enhancement of the legal rights of children and their corresponding need for emotional stability.
While on the bench, she supported the establishment of processes that would minimize the trauma children suffer when removed from their families. She pushed the Florida bench to become a trauma-responsive, developmentally informed court.
She also championed lawyers who represented foster children, recognizing the hard, emotional work they put in to assist these children. She envisions a thriving children’s law office to include the pairing of child trauma specialists with appropriately trained lawyers for children.
This episode is not just for policy wonks. Justice Pariente inspires children’s lawyers to be creative and steadfast in their representation of vulnerable clients and their needs.
For more information on the family court trauma and child development toolkit mentioned in the episode, please see this link, https://www.flcourts.org/Resources-Services/Court-Improvement/Family-Courts/Family-Court-Basics2/Family-Court-Tool-Kit-Trauma-and-Child-Development
In this episode, Jim interviews Oscar® winners Deborah Oppenheimer and Mark Jonathan Harris about the new HBO documentary “Foster” which begins airing Tuesday, May 7 at 8:00pm. The documentary offers insights from children’s lawyers and others in its presentation to upend the myths of foster care. It also highlights the work of the Children's Law Center of California.
BOOM! That quick trip to permanency just came to a screeching halt—for a reason you didn’t expect. Or one you chose to ignore. Instead, it’s now a very long and arduous journey causing emotional harm to your client. In this podcast, we review a few of the most common obstacles to getting your client to permanency within the legal time frame. You will learn some of the solutions we have used successfully over the years.
We want to hear from you. How can we make this podcast better for you? You can email us at info@childrenslaw.org.
The problem most children’s lawyers face is having enough time to do what needs to be done to help all of our clients. High caseloads, lack of support, and backed-up dockets are just some of the stoppers we have all experienced in representing all of our clients effectively and ethically. In this podcast, we talk specifics about one of the solutions to this most vexing conundrum. By keeping your focus on your clients’ number one legal problem, you can close your cases faster thereby lessening the potential emotional harm your clients suffer.
What is a family? There’s a fear that when our clients turn 18, they will learn that the families they thought they had, do not exist. There was never an emotional connection. There was only a legal one. The heartbreak of this discovery sends a young adult into the world with no emotional or practical support. Despite a child’s reliance on a parent never truly ending, we send many a child into the future alone. This is a failure not only to our client, but also to our role as a children’s attorney. In this podcast, we share tips to understanding how you can help your client find their family—their forever family. This is not a podcast about adoption selection, but one about all kids in care, whatever their goal.
Listeners - we want to hear from you. How can we make this podcast better for you? You can email us at info@childrenslaw.org.
In this episode, the hosts discuss five common mistakes that are made by children's lawyers. This is primarily a discussion about the relationship between the lawyer and the child, and the ways we inadvertently undermine our efforts.
In this episode, Angela Orkin and Melissa Carter discuss an exciting new federal funding opportunity for children's lawyers.
In this episode, Angela, Bill, Jim and John will discuss the impacts of separating children from their families, and legal strategies to protect clients who must be removed from their parents.
A discussion of five foundational practice points that every children’s lawyer should know. These are practical actions that, while easy to overlook, can make a big difference in your advocacy and your relationship with your client.