The NACC Event Calendar provides up-to-date information on upcoming events from the NACC, including training sessions, webinars, and conferences in your local area and around the country.
What if many of the child welfare cases on your docket are also civil rights cases? This webinar reframes child welfare advocacy through a powerful civil rights lens – revealing how Constitutional protections and federal statutes can be game-changers for both your individual clients and for systemic reform efforts. We will discuss how historic patterns...
Young children need lawyers to safeguard their rights and interests, yet assumptions about their capacity too often silence them. This session challenges frameworks that limit children ages 6–11 from participating in court and the attorney-client relationship. Presenters will highlight how developmental science on executive functioning, communication, reasoning, and judgment supports their meaningful involvement in both...
If you are interested in submitting an abstract for NACC’s conferences and want more detail on what NACC hopes to see in submissions, join us January 7, 2026 at 4:00pm EST for a live Q&A on abstract submission. Join via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87095516807 In the meantime, read NACC's Call for Abstracts. The deadline to submit an...
Child advocacy work is demanding, high-stakes, and deeply human. Attorneys, judges, CASA volunteers, and agency staff routinely work under significant pressure while engaging with complex systems and difficult subject matter. The support people receive in their day-to-day work – from colleagues, supervisors, and organizational culture – has a direct impact on both individual well-being and...
The modern “child welfare” system is not a neutral system of care—it is a continuation of historical practices rooted in slavery, Indigenous child removal, the orphan train movement, and the interconnected policing of race and poverty. This webinar traces the lineage of state-sponsored family regulation in the United States, revealing how state control and racial...
Join NACC for a dynamic Professionalism and Ethics Symposium designed for child welfare legal practitioners. This timely series brings together diverse perspectives and practical guidance on the professionalism and ethical challenges shaping child welfare legal representation today. Grounded in real-world experience and client-centered values, each session fosters thoughtful dialogue and meaningful engagement while offering actionable...
Since 2006, the Child Welfare Law Specialist (CWLS) credential has aimed to raise the quality of attorney practice. Does it work? A year-long independent evaluation says yes. Hear the evidence, what it means for courts and families, how CWLS will evolve, and practical steps to bring certification to your jurisdiction. Presenters: Allison Green, JD, CWLS...
At a pivotal moment in our nation’s history, the rights of children stand at a crossroads. Hard-won progress is being challenged, legal protections are under pressure, and the stakes for children and families have never been higher. For nearly 50 years, the National Association of Counsel for Children has led the movement to ensure that...
Sibling separation in foster care continues to be a traumatic and avoidable outcome for too many youth. This interactive workshop will guide participants through the laws, research, and ethical duties that support sibling placement and contact. It will feature a courtroom simulation in which attendees work to act out dependency hearings focused on sibling rights....
This session explores the critical role of mental health advocacy in child welfare cases, with a focus on representing both parents and children. Participants will examine how mental health needs intersect with safety, permanency, and well being, and how to effectively incorporate those considerations into litigation and case planning. The program will also address how...
The Intern Playbook: Succeeding in Child Welfare Practice is a foundational orientation designed to prepare law students for the realities of child welfare internships and clerkships. This session focuses on the skills and expectations that are often assumed—but rarely taught—including how to understand and manage assignments, communicate effectively with clients and supervisors, and demonstrate professionalism...
Attorneys: Take your trial skills to the next level with this two-day, in-person training in New York City! This training will draw from key sections of Child Welfare Law and Practice. Some areas the training will cover include: Witness prep and building credibility Using pretrial motions and stipulations strategically Direct and cross of fact witnesses...