The Children's Law Podcast

Every Seven Minutes Oct 25, 2024

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.

When You Can't Show Them the Money Sep 30, 2024

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.

Love 'em or Lose 'em: Keeping Lawyers in the Field Aug 26, 2024

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.

NACC: New Tools to Elevate Your Practice Jul 08, 2024

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.

Objection! No One is Leading. May 24, 2024

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.

Let's Talk Adoption Apr 23, 2024

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 Considerations for Children's Attorneys Mar 22, 2024

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!

Can Singing in the Car Make You a Better Children's Lawyer? Feb 02, 2024

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

Takeaways from 2023 Jan 09, 2024

In this episode, Angela, John and Jim discuss a few key takeaways from 2023.

Messaging to Win Hearts and Minds Nov 21, 2023

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.

Collaborative or Adversarial? Nov 01, 2023

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.

Three Powerful Practices Oct 11, 2023

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.

Motions to Compel Sep 13, 2023

John and Angela discuss a tool that can be used to move cases forward - the motion to compel.

One Legal Problem Sep 05, 2023

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.

Homelessness and Child Welfare: A Conversation with David Ambroz Jun 20, 2023

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.

When Things Go Sideways Jun 09, 2023

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.

Planning for Success, Not Survival May 12, 2023

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.

When Your Client is a Survivor of Sex Trafficking May 04, 2023

This interview starts with Prof. 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, Prof. 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

What's Next for Your Teen Client? Mar 29, 2023

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.

Finding Permanency for Older Youth Feb 13, 2023

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.

Resolutions for the New Year Dec 31, 2022

In this episode, John and Angela offer three ideas for your New Year's Resolutions.

NACC: More Ways to Connect Sep 14, 2022

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.

Effects of Policing on Children of Color: A Conversation with Prof. Kristin Henning Jul 25, 2022

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).

The Arriving Exercise Jun 28, 2022

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!

Trauma and the Children's Lawyer Jun 28, 2022

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.

Why We're Really Here: NACC's Cristal Ramirez on Youth Engagement Mar 02, 2022

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.

A New Child Welfare System: A Conversation with Public Knowledge Sep 28, 2021

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.

Your Role in Promoting Race Equity Jul 13, 2021

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.

The NACC: Five Things You Need to Know May 25, 2021

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

The Basics of Working with Mental Health Providers Mar 23, 2021

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.

Takeaways from 2020 Jan 07, 2021

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.

How to Sleep at Night Oct 19, 2020

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.

Domestic Violence: A Few Powerful Strategies Sep 17, 2020

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.

Racism in Child Welfare: A Conversation with Dr. Jessica Pryce Aug 19, 2020

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.

A Book, a Movie and a Life Tip Jul 08, 2020

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.

Severe Abuse and the Pandemic May 26, 2020

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.

Is There a Silver Lining? Apr 29, 2020

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.

Advocacy During the Pandemic: Time to Plan Apr 20, 2020

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.

Advocacy During the Pandemic Apr 13, 2020

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.

Takeaways from Season One Mar 24, 2020

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.

Implicit Bias: A Conversation with Judge Scott Bernstein, Part Two Feb 04, 2020

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.

Implicit Bias: A Conversation with Judge Scott Bernstein Jan 22, 2020

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.

Cheerleading 101 - yes, you do that too Dec 04, 2019

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.

NACC Live: A Conversation with Leslie Starr Heimov, Part Two Nov 06, 2019

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.

NACC Live: A Conversation with Leslie Starr Heimov Oct 29, 2019

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.

NACC Live: A Conversation with Kim Dvorchak Oct 01, 2019

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.

Representing LGBTQ+ Clients: A Conversation with Currey Cook, Part Two Sep 12, 2019

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.

Representing LGBTQ+ Clients: A Conversation with Currey Cook, Part One Aug 13, 2019

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.

3 Tips for Thriving in the Profession Jul 23, 2019

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 Art of Building Trust with Your Client Jun 26, 2019

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.

Reflections from the Bench: An Interview with Justice Barbara Pariente, Part Two Jun 06, 2019

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

Reflections from the Bench: An Interview with Justice Barbara Pariente, Part One Jun 05, 2019

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

HBO Documentary “Foster”: Behind the Scenes with the Producer and Director May 06, 2019

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.

Avoiding Landmines on Permanency Road Apr 30, 2019

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.

Life in the Fast Lane - Permanency Focused Advocacy Apr 16, 2019

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? Mar 25, 2019

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.

Five Things You Should NOT Do Feb 21, 2019

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.

Game Changer: IV-E Funding with Melissa Carter Feb 07, 2019

In this episode, Angela Orkin and Melissa Carter discuss an exciting new federal funding opportunity for children's lawyers.

The Impacts of Separating Children from Their Parents Jan 23, 2019

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.

Five Things Every Children's Lawyer Should Do Dec 27, 2018

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.