Trainings & Webinars
NACC Monthly Webinars
July
Counsel for Kids: Victories, Trends, and Challenges
July 25, 2024 at 12:00 PM 0 1:30 PM MDT
Presenters: Natalece Washington and Rob Green
In this session, NACC’s Policy Counsel Natalece Washington will highlight Counsel for Kids advocacy victories, trends, and challenges and explore recent state legislative activity that would expand the right to counsel, common elements of successful state policy campaigns, and policymaker’s frequently asked questions. Bipartisan Policy Center Fellow, Rob Geen, will discuss bipartisan collaboration as a key strategy to successful policy development. Geen will also review our nation’s history of broad bipartisan consensus on major child protection system policy changes and share the latest on the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Child Welfare Initiative.
August
47th National Child Welfare Law Conference
August 12th - August 14th
Salt Lake City, UT
Past NACC Webinars
MAY
Compassionate Advocacy: Integrating Trauma-Informed Practices for an Enhanced Legal Practice
Presenters: Josephine C. Vanderhorst, MFP, JD, CWLS, NACC Senior Staff Attorney
Learning Objectives:
Explore the foundational principles of trauma-informed care and their relevance in legal settings, including the identification of trauma indicators and understanding the impact of trauma on clients.
Learn actionable techniques for integrating trauma-informed practices into daily legal routines, such as providing hydration, snacks, and sensory tools to mitigate stress and promote client comfort during proceedings.
Examine the broader implications of trauma-informed approaches on client engagement, communication, and overall well-being within legal environments, fostering a culture of empathy, trust, and support.
APRIL
The Role of Foster/Resource Parents in Dependency Hearings
Presenters: Shannon Felder, JD, CWLS, NACC Training Director
Licensed non-relative family placements are crucial for the well-being of children in dependency cases and are integral to achieving permanency for families. In this webinar, we will delve into:
Assessment of foster parent support for established case permanency goals;
Effective strategies for court presentation and consideration of foster parent involvement in achieving permanency; and
Advocacy surrounding the varying levels of foster parent involvement in dependency proceedings.
MARCH
Balancing Acts: Navigating Suffering with Self-Compassion
Presenters: Sherri Freemont, JD and Vivek Sankaran, JD, CWLS
Join us for the first of a four-part webinar series where we delve into a vital yet often overlooked aspect of child welfare work: the wellbeing of the professionals behind the scenes. Every day, dedicated child welfare attorneys and other professionals navigate through the profound suffering within families they serve, yet their own emotional toll is frequently disregarded. In this discussion, we explore the inherent suffering experienced by child welfare attorneys and other professionals and highlight practical strategies rooted in compassion science. Discover how we can cultivate openness and responsiveness to the suffering of others while also nurturing our own wellbeing.
Session Highlights:
Attendees learned to slow down, give themselves grace, as they are just one person in a large system, and celebrate small wins.
Attendees learned how self-compassion and awareness impacts them directly, their staff, colleagues, and other parties to the case.
The presenter led a short guided meditation, which attendees found impactful.
View the session recording and handouts and CLE info. You can also visit NACC's webinar archive.
Let's Talk Leadership
What makes a great leader? Management theorist Simon Sinek suggests it's someone who makes their employees feel secure, who draws staffers into a circle of trust.
"Leadership is a choice. It is not a rank. I know many people at the senior-most levels of organizations who are absolutely not leaders. They are authorities, and we do what they say because they have authority over us, but we would not follow them. And I know many people who are at the bottoms of organizations who have no authority and they are absolutely leaders, and this is because they have chosen to look after the person to the left of them, and they have chosen to look after the person to the right of them. This is what a leader is."
Placement Considerations for Children's Attorneys
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!