Join the movement to reform the child welfare system: The ABA Center on Children and
the Law and the National Alliance for Parent Representation will host the 5th National
Parent Attorney Conference in Tyson’s Corner, VA. Please consider submitting a workshop
or discussion group proposal.
Audience
The audience will include attorneys who represent parents in the child welfare system,
managers of parent attorney offices, parents, social workers, parent partners, judges, court
administrators, law professors, policy makers, administrators of state-wide, county, and
other programs for parents’ counsel, and other stakeholders in the child welfare system.
Content
The conference will move our practice forward and improve outcomes for children and
families. The agenda will include 1.5 hour workshops, facilitated small group discussions,
and plenary sessions. Sessions should cover cutting-edge issues and/or focus on skillbuilding. Likely topics include:
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Administering a Parent Attorney
Agency, Program or Law Office
Advocacy outside the Courtroom
Best Interests – What Does this
Mean?
Ethics
Family Time/Visitation
Health/Behavioral Health
Implementation of ICWA
Incorporating Research into Day-toDay Representation
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Law and Policy Advocacy:
advancing legislative reform,
appellate litigation and
constitutional law
Parents and youth with experience
being in care or being adopted
Poverty
Reasonable Efforts – What Does this
Mean?
Substance Use
Technology to Support High Quality
Representation
National Alliance for Parent Representation
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Trauma-Informed Practice
Trial and Appellate /Practice Skills
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Vulnerable Populations
Working with Experts
This list is not exclusive; the committee is looking forward to reviewing your ideas. All
sessions should focus on how we can value and respect all families involved in the
system. If you submit an idea that highlights a successful program you have implemented,
the focus should be on how you achieved your success and what tools you used. The
Steering Committee welcomes proposals from non-lawyers and lawyers as we believe an
inter-disciplinary approach is a best practice.
Workshop Format
Workshops and discussion groups will last 1.5 hours. Discussion groups will be limited to 18
people and will focus on a particular topic. Workshops will have more participants and will
involve a presentation and discussion.
What to Submit
Submit your proposal by October 13, 2016 using the link below. Proposals must
 title,
include:
 whether your session is a workshop or discussion group,
 short biography (no more than 100 words) for each presenter. Each session is limited
to no more than three presenters. Please contact Mimi Laver with any questions
([email protected]) before submitting your proposal,
 contact information for each presenter (organization, phone numbers and email),
 short description of the proposed workshop (50 words or less),
 full description of the proposed workshop (500 words or less), and
 one sentence on how your proposed workshop will help participants value and
respect the families with whom they work.
Please submit your proposal through this link:
https://americanbar.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_9Y3BFCqbTqeUooB
Upon submission, a confirmation email will be sent to the lead presenter from Qualtrics.
Please check your inbox and junk mail for this confirmation.
Each submission will be reviewed by Steering Committee members. If accepted, conference
registration fees will be waived for up to three presenters. Presenters are responsible for their
own travel and lodging expenses.
Questions? Contact Mimi Laver at [email protected]
National Alliance for Parent Representation