Resources and information about attorneys' roles in representing children, parents, and child welfare agencies in child abuse and neglect cases.
American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law Practice Standards and Tools
American Bar Association (2017)
Provides judicial and attorney standards of representation for parents, children, and child welfare agencies in abuse and neglect cases.
Child Welfare Capacity Building Center for Courts
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau (2017)
Provides products, services, and learning experiences to increase awareness, understanding, and engagement to improve child welfare practice in the courts and legal community.
Enhanced Resource Guidelines (PDF - 14,510 KB)
Gatowski, Miller, Rubin, Escher & Maze (2016)
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Provides guidance to judges, attorneys, child welfare workers, and court-appointed special advocates on all stages of the court process to improve court practice in child abuse and neglect cases.
High-Quality Legal Representation for All Parties in Child Welfare Proceedings (PDF - 290 KB)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau (2017)
Shares research, best practices, and strategies to promote quality legal representation for parents, children, and child welfare agencies at all stages of child welfare proceedings.
Representation of Parents and Children in Abuse and Neglect Cases: The Importance of Early Appointment (PDF - 349 KB)
Edwards (2012)
Juvenile and Family Court Journal, 63(2)
Highlights the importance of appointing legal representatives for parents and children in child protection cases prior to the commencement of any court hearings. The articles reviews representation in child abuse and neglect cases as well as the appointment-of-attorney practices in most jurisdictions and perceived barriers to early appointment.