WASHINGTON, D.C., July 8, 2013 — The American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law will sponsor its Third National Parent Attorneys Conference, “Improving Representation in the Child Welfare System,” July 10-11 and its 15th National Conference on Children and the Law, “Lawyers as Partners for Family Well-Being,” July 12-13. Preceding the latter conference will be the full-day programs Polyvictimization and Trauma-Informed Legal Advocacy and Trial Skills for Child Welfare Attorneys on July 11. All of the events will be held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The National Conference on Children and the Law will address a range of child welfare issues that emphasize family well-being and aim to improve the skills of attorneys, judges and other advocates. It will also feature emerging child welfare policy and systemic reform issues and their effects on practice, children and families.

Highlights of the events follow below.

National Conference on Children and the Law “Almost Home: Voices from Covenant House and the Child Welfare System” — Alumni of foster care and parents address the true meaning of lawyers as partners for family well-being. Before the panel, Kevin Ryan and Tina Kelley, the authors of Almost Home: Helping Kids Move from Homelessness to Hope, will speak. July 12, 9:15 – 10:45 a.m.

“Assisting the Most Vulnerable: Service and Legal Strategies to Engage Commercially Sexually Exploited Children” — This workshop will provide information on the basics and dynamics of commercial sexual exploitation, including federal and state legal definitions of human trafficking and exploitation. Panelists will outline common risk factors associated with exploitation, warning signs to look for, the process and stages of recruitment and exploitation, and strategies to engage this population. July 12, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

“Bullying Developments in Social Media: Legal and Psychological Perspectives” — Presenters will discuss common problems, such as the overuse of the terms bullying and cyberbullying to refer to other types of social conflict, the problems that occur with communication in the digital realm, and the steps schools can and cannot take in addressing these problems. July 12, 1:45 – 3:15 p.m.

“The Impact of Evolving Immigration Law and Policy on Child Welfare Cases” — This session will provide information on topics including the detention and deportation of parents by immigration authorities; the obligations of child welfare agencies and dependency courts when parents or relatives of a child reside abroad or are not U.S. citizens; and recent shifts in immigration law at the state and federal levels and their impact on abused and neglected children. July 13, 8:30 – 10 a.m.

“The Special Needs of Adolescent Girls in the Child Welfare System” — Girls make up almost half the child welfare population, yet their gender-specific needs and risk factors are just now beginning to be explored. Come learn how a gender-specific, trauma-informed approach can improve outcomes for girls in the child welfare system. July 13, 10:15 – 11:45 a.m.

Polyvictimization and Trauma Informed Legal Advocacy: Preconference to the 15^th ABA National Conference on Children and the Law

July 11, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. “Trauma and Its Effects on Children” — This program will cover the fundamentals of trauma and its effects on child clients, including complex trauma and children’s coping strategies. 9:30 – 10:15 a.m.

“Medical Aspects of Trauma” — This session features a discussion of the physical effects and medical implications of trauma on child clients, including toxic stress and brain development. 10:30 – 11:15 a.m.

National Parent Attorneys Conference

July 10-11

“Civil Child Neglect: The Drug War’s New Frontier” — Panelists will address the public policy and child welfare responses to the issue of pregnant women, mothers and fathers who use marijuana.

July 10, 11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. “Child Well-Being and Parental Rights” — This workshop will explore the interaction of child well-being and parental rights under case law and statute. States have a duty to ensure child well-being and mental and physical health, but when is this duty trumped by parental rights?

July 10, 3:30 – 5 p.m.

“The Affordable Care Act: Opportunities and Issues for Parents and Families Involved with Child Welfare” — The ACA could have profound implications for adults who are involved with the child welfare system, as they experience significantly more problems with physical and mental health and substance abuse than the general population. Getting as many of those adults as possible enrolled in an insurance plan could improve outcomes for families and improve system performance in reducing maltreatment and removal while enhancing the chances of reunification.

July 11, 8:30 – 10 a.m.

A complete agenda for the National Conference on Children and the Law can be found here.

For media credentialing, please contact Emily Ortman at Emily.Ortman@americanbar.org. This event is free and open to members of the press.

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