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that foster children take only 2% of slots in Head Start early childhood education facilities in Nebraska

National Reunification Day (NRD) will be celebrated across the country between Mother's Day (May 8th) and Father's Day (June 19th). Its purpose is three-fold: to celebrate the accomplishments of families overcoming their challenges, to recognize the vital role that community partners play in helping to reunify and strengthen families, and to inspire other parents going through similar issues. Last year, several teams of the Through the Eyes of the Child Initiative celebrated National Reunification Day in their communities. Read an article about last year's celebrations. If you are interested in planning a celebration in your community, please contact your local Team Coordinator. More information about NRD is available here.

IMPORTANT: Date Changes for the 2011 Regional Conferences

Please click here for updates on dates for regional conferences in Omaha/Lincoln and Norfolk.  The dates for the Sidney and Lexington regional conferences have not changed.

Don’t forget to register for the 2011 Lecture Series

Online registration is still open for the 2011 Lecture Series.  There is no cost to attend (and just $5 per MCLE credit).  Any court stakeholder with an interest in the topics is welcome to attend.

This year’s remaining lecture series trainings are:

  • Effective & Ethical Representation of Very Young Children in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases
    • May 17: Omaha
  • Advanced Topics on Substance Abuse Issues
    • May 25: O’Neill
    • May 26: South Sioux City
    • May 27: Lincoln
  • Ethics, Best Practices, or Both?  Ethical Dilemmas in Child Welfare Cases for the Nebraska GAL
    • June 13: Omaha
    • June 14: Lincoln
    • June 15: North Platte

Click here for more information.

2011 Helping Babies from the Bench registration now open for trainings in Broken Bow, Valentine and Grand Island

The next round of Helping Babies from the Bench trainings will be held across Nebraska this spring and summer.  These trainings focus on the needs of infants and toddlers in the abuse/neglect court system and how court stakeholders can improve their outcomes.  Topics include the impact of trauma on child development, the use of EPDST, Part C/CAPTA early childhood evaluations and more. 

This series of trainings includes Phase I, an overview of infants and toddlers, and Phase II, advanced topics and implementation into court practice.  Agendas are available here.  Remaining trainings in 2011 will be held Broken Bow (June 9th), Valentine (June 10th), and Grand Island (August 12th).  For more information or to register, click here.

Spotlight Issue: Remembering the Impact of Trauma when Counseling Children

By Elizabeth Ferrebee, JD, Stehlik Law, Pawnee City, Nebraska

In the previous spotlight issues, Krista Shaul, J.D. and Maxie Morgan, J.D. discussed in detail the impacts of trauma on the brain and how it affects the children with whom we work.  It is hard to deny the profound impact trauma has on the children in the legal system. While learning about the effects of trauma while attending the 33rd National Child Welfare, Juvenile and Family Law Conference, I found myself constantly reflecting on the children I represented and how I could carry what I was learning into my practice.

During a presentation titled “Trauma Informed Legal Systems: A New Paradigm for Understanding and Reaching Children’s Troubling Behavior,” presenters Jim Henry, Ph.D., Mark Sloane, D.O., and Frank Vandervort, J.D. C.W.L.S. provided the audience with essential elements to use when incorporating the concept of trauma into the legal system. Read more.

Updates on the 2011 Legislative Bills affecting child welfare

  • LB 177, which encodes the federal Fostering Connections law into state law, passed on final reading 47-0-2 on April 28, 2011, and was signed by the Governor on May 4th
  • LB 648, which (1) requires courts to inquire with the foster parent or caregiver about the child’s well-being, (2) requires DHHS to have up-to-date placement contact information for courts, and (2) removes the presumption that the DHHS case plan is in the child’s best interest, passed on final reading 44-0-5 on April 28, 2011, and was signed by the Governor on May 4th
  • LB 95, which includes AM 704 that would impose a moratorium on DHHS from contracting for child welfare and juvenile justice service coordination and case management with any new lead agency in the central, western and northern service areas until June 1, 2012, was bracketed until January 4, 2012

Click here for more information on the 2011 Legislative Bills affecting child welfare.

 

Caselaw Summaries

Trying to find an abuse/neglect case but can’t remember the case name?  Use our search engine for abuse/neglect cases since 2006.  Cases can be searched by keyword.  To begin a search, click here.

In re Interest of Lokani M. (unpublished opinion, April 19, 2011) Termination of parental rights was proper where the mother did not make sufficient effort to work on her case plan and where the needs of the child required stability and permanency.  Full Opinion

In re Interest of Breana M. (18 Neb. App. 910, ____ N.W.2d ____, April 5, 2011) A Nebraska juvenile court has subject matter jurisdiction under the juvenile code over “any juvenile” lacking proper parental care by reason or fault of the parent regardless of where the child is residing at the time the petition is filed. Full Opinion

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