Presented by Jacob D’Annunzio from the Office of Public Defense and Steven Bryant from the Department of Children, Youth, & Families at the 2022 Spokane County Hope Summit, hosted by Family & Youth Justice Programs as part of the Safety Summit Project.
Termination Settlement Conferences Dependency Practice Tip
One of the most underutilized, and undervalued, tools to address these backlogs is the use of settlement conferences to resolve termination cases without the need for trial. Not only does this tactic help decrease case backlogs – it often results in less trauma to the family and decreases time to permanency for children.
Safety Snapshots
This mini-learning series centers around the effective application of the Safety Framework in child welfare. Whether you are a first-time learner or a seasoned professional who needs a quick refresher, this learning series is for all professionals who work within the dependency court system. Lessons are just minutes in length and easy to navigate.
NEFTC Review Worksheet
When you want to review the Key Components of the Best Practices identified by the NEFTC self-evaluation, use the NEFTC worksheet to start team discussions about how to identify and take next steps. 2021 NEFTC Self-Led Worksheet Download
Safety Practices Hearing Quality Report
Safety Summits provide multidisciplinary training and action planning to dependency court systems with the goal of making real practice change related to the safety framework. The five sites that held Safety Summits in 2021 were evaluated 3-5 months post-training to compare practice to the baseline hearing quality assessment. This hearing quality evaluation report presents the methods and findings from that pre-post evaluation.
ICWA Dependency Practice Tip
ICWA is vitally important to Native
children and families. When ICWA is applied properly it helps lead to better outcomes. ICW Courts are dedicated dockets of child welfare hearings involving Native children.
Docket Management Practice Tip
For many judicial officers, large workloads and complex cases can make giving each family enough time and attention feel impossible. Effective docket management can make a real difference in the ability to engage families and children, make informed decisions, and strengthen dependency systems.
Judicial Leadership Dependency Practice Tip
The role of the dependency court judge involves leadership responsibilities including on-the-bench judicial leadership via strong judicial oversight of cases and off-the-bench leadership which involves working with court, system, and community stakeholders to address the needs of the children and families who appear before the court.
WA Guide to Reasonable & Active Efforts
As part of the preparation for the WA Judicial Academy on Reasonable & Active Efforts, FYJP pulled together a group of state experts to create the “WA Guide on Reasonable & Active Efforts”. This new resource provides a comprehensive overview of the applicable RCW’s and case law that pertain to making reasonable and active efforts findings in Washington State.
Early Childhood Courts
Early Childhood Courts (ECC) address the root causes of dependency court system involvement through specialized dockets, multidisciplinary teams, and a strengths-based collaborative approach. Offering evidence-based treatment, judicial monitoring, and accountability, these courts provide individualized interventions for families with young children, thereby improving child safety and well-being.
