Presented by
Honorable Erin P. DeLabio, Niagara County Family Court Judge
Sonia Meyer, Esq., Associate Counsel to OCFS
In recognition of May as National Foster Care Month, the Child Welfare Court Improvement Project and the Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG) for Child Welfare and Family Court Practice is hosting a one-hour program to highlight the legal rights of youth in foster care. You will hear from Family Court Judge, Honorable Erin P. DeLabio, about the role of the judge in presiding over cases when there is a child in foster care. Specifically, about engaging youth in their Permanency Planning Hearings and making Reasonable Efforts determinations. You will hear from Sonia Meyer, Esq., Associate Counsel for the Office of Children and Family Services, about the NYS Bill of Rights that must be reviewed with every child in foster care, as well as the Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard set by OCFS. Sonia will review the rights that foster children have to be involved in their service planning, court appearances, permanency planning, etc. Most importantly, you will hear from former youth in care - Lived Experts who are most impacted by the child welfare and legal system. They will tell you of their experiences in foster care and in Family Court and they will make recommendations to us on how to improve the system, its policies, and practices. This is a multidisciplinary training offered to judges, attorneys, social service professionals, community providers, and people with lived experience in the child welfare and legal/judicial system across NYS. Participants will become more trauma aware and learn best practices and skills to better help children and the families who encounter the system.
Presented by
Honorable Erin P. DeLabio, Niagara County Family Court Judge
Sonia Meyer, Esq., Associate Counsel to OCFS
In recognition of May as National Foster Care Month, the Child Welfare Court Improvement Project and the Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG) for Child Welfare and Family Court Practice is hosting a one-hour program to highlight the legal rights of youth in foster care. You will hear from Family Court Judge, Honorable Erin P. DeLabio, about the role of the judge in presiding over cases when there is a child in foster care. Specifically, about engaging youth in their Permanency Planning Hearings and making Reasonable Efforts determinations. You will hear from Sonia Meyer, Esq., Associate Counsel for the Office of Children and Family Services, about the NYS Bill of Rights that must be reviewed with every child in foster care, as well as the Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard set by OCFS. Sonia will review the rights that foster children have to be involved in their service planning, court appearances, permanency planning, etc. Most importantly, you will hear from former youth in care - Lived Experts who are most impacted by the child welfare and legal system. They will tell you of their experiences in foster care and in Family Court and they will make recommendations to us on how to improve the system, its policies, and practices. This is a multidisciplinary training offered to judges, attorneys, social service professionals, community providers, and people with lived experience in the child welfare and legal/judicial system across NYS. Participants will become more trauma aware and learn best practices and skills to better help children and the families who encounter the system.