Colorado Child Abuse & Neglect Attorney Training

Join us as we explore how trauma affects everyone involved in the child welfare system. Many people connected to this system have faced significant trauma in their personal histories and in their interactions with the court process. The child welfare legal system has the potential to transform its trauma-informed approach, but first we must fully understand trauma’s impact. With this knowledge we can create a more compassionate and effective child welfare legal system. Tune in to learn how trauma and the child welfare legal process intersect and discover ways you can make a meaningful difference.

Parent advocates support families by helping them access resources, explaining their rights, and providing overall guidance as they navigate the child welfare system. A parent advocate with lived experience and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Staff Attorney with the Office of the Child’s Representative (OCR) join host Sommer Purdom with Butler Institute for Families for a thoughtful conversation about factors impacting families in the child welfare judicial process and practical approaches to help achieve equitable outcomes for families. Guests: Nathifa Miller - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Staff Attorney for the Office of the Child's Representative (OCR) Michele Deal - Parent Advocate for the Office of Respondent Parents Counsel Hosted by: Sommer Purdom, Butler Institute for Families, University of Denver Produced by: Amy Hansen, Butler Institute for Families, University of Denver

Youth voices should be heard in the child welfare legal process, and Colorado now offers counsel for all youth 12 and older involved in an ongoing dependency and neglect petition. Learn how the counsel for youth movement started, how it passed through the legislature, and, most importantly, why it’s crucial for youth to have client-directed counsel. A youth advocate with lived experience and the director of the Office of the Child’s Representative join host, Charmaine Brittain, in this moving and motivating conversation about amplifying youth voice. Guests: Chris Henderson - Executive Director for the Office of the Child Representative Nyomi Davis - Rising senior at the University of Denver Hosted by: Charmaine Brittain, Butler Institute for Families, University of Denver Produced by: Amy Hansen, Butler Institute for Families, University of Denver

When families go to court, it can be a harsh and negative experience than can trigger past traumas and create new ones. The courts and people associated with them can change this experience by using a trauma-informed lens in their practice. Hear how a judge, county attorney, social worker, and parent partner advocate for a trauma-informed approach, and how the court can use this approach to make court experiences less traumatic and more positive, leading to better outcomes for children and families. Guests: Judge Ann Meinster – Presiding Juvenile Judge 1st Judicial District Susan Archuleta – Community Liaison/Metropolitan State University of Denver Toni Milner – A parent with lived experience and a Family Support Partner with Jefferson County Human Services Becky Wiggins – County Attorney for Adams County Hosted by: Charmaine Brittain, Butler Institute for Families, University of Denver Produced by: Sarah Roman, Butler Institute for Families, University of Denver

When families become involved in the child welfare and judicial systems, those systems must work together to achieve better outcomes of child safety, permanency, and well-being. But it’s hard! Today, we’ll talk about how to get to true collaborative decision-making. Guests include: Susan Morris, Referral & Assessment Specialist at Colorado Department of Human Services Erin Stremming, Deputy Division Director of Child Welfare and Adult Protection for the City and County of Denver And Jennifer Stewart, Senior County Attorney in Larimer County Technical Production: Sarah Roman