Home > Court Admin/AOC > Dependent Children's Services > Court Improvement Program > Training > Introduction to Dependency Representation

Introduction to Dependency Representation

The Arizona Dependency Process and Legal Framework for Child Welfare Law, Dawn Williams, Esq. (120 mins)
This training provides an overview of several important federal child welfare laws that attorneys should know when representing children, parents or agencies in Juvenile Court dependency proceedings. Attendees will learn key provisions of several of these laws, including the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974 (CAPTA), the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA), the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA), No Child Left Behind, McKinney-Vento, Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA), Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008, and more. Dawn will also cover the statutory grounds for termination of parental rights proceedings, the individuals who may file such proceedings, the procedure for filing petitions/motions for termination, elements which must be proved for each ground and for "best interest", and the additional elements which must be proved to prevail in Indian Child Welfare cases.

Medical & Psychological Aspects of Child Abuse & Neglect, Sara Park, MD (90 mins)
This presentation will provide an introduction to the association between intimate partner violence and child abuse and how adverse events of childhood impact adult health. In addition, it will provide an overview of the most common presentations of child abuse and neglect including: medical neglect, failure-to-thrive, the substance-exposed newborn, suspicious injuries, bruises, burns, broken bones and abusive head trauma. Lastly, this presentation will touch on accessing health services and the keys to successful placement and permanency.

Role and Duties of the Child Representative, Jillian Aja, Esq. (60 mins)
This session is an in-depth look at the roles and responsibilities of attorneys and guardians ad litem that represent children in child welfare proceedings. It includes discussion of the child's legal right to participate in court proceedings and the benefits therein. It also explores the ethical issues facing attorneys that work in the child welfare arena. This session may qualify for up to 1 hour of ethics credit.

Role and Duties of the Parent Representative, Brian J. Molitor, Esq. and Lauri J. Owen, M.A., Esq. (60 mins)
This session is an in-depth look at the roles and responsibilities of attorneys and guardians ad litem that represent parents in child welfare proceedings. It includes discussion of the parent's legal right to participate in court proceedings and the benefits therein.