May 2011

Cover Story

Engaging Youth in Court: Sample Court Policy By ABA Bar-Youth Empowerment Project, National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues

The sample court policy discussed in this article suggests key steps to successfully engage youth in court.

Involving Youth Matters

By Lacy Kendrick Burk

Lacy Kendrick, a former foster youth, shares her and her siblings’ experiences in the child welfare system.

Kids in Court: Tips for Overcoming Resistance

By Lisa B. Kauffman

Overcome resistance to children participating in court by using these simple strategies.

Immigration Status Matters to Children

By Deborah Lee

Undocumented immigrants are parents too. That is the simple yet critical message of Hirokazu Yoshikawa’s recent Immigrants Raising Citizens.

Case Law Update

Banning Cohabiting/Unmarried Couples from Fostering and Adopting is Unconstitutional
The Supreme Court of Arkansas upheld a lower court ruling that Arkansas’ Act 1 is unconstitutional. The court found that by banning people who cohabit with sexual partners from fostering or adopting a child, Act 1 penalizes these couples and infringes on their right to privacy.