Closed Captioned. When equipped with a solid understanding of how adolescent brains develop, attorneys in child welfare are uniquely positioned to advocate for youth experiencing foster care to have opportunities to have experiences and practice skills that they will need to become independent and self-sufficient adults. This training will help attorneys understand the science behind adolescent brain development and how to apply the science to practice to more authentically engage youth in and out of court.

This 90 minute training will cover the following topics:
•The history and background of the research into how adolescent brains develop and how they differ from the brains of children and adults.
•Why understanding the science is important for people who practice in child welfare and what is at stake.
•An overview of the science and detailed summary of the parts of the brain that undergo the most change during adolescence.
•How to use the science to improve authentic youth engagement in the dependency process.

The training will also allow participants to engage in case scenarios to deepen their understanding and review a legal toolkit specifically designed with attorneys in mind. Additionally, participants will be guided through a review of federal laws that support the applying brain science to practice, with considerations from case planning to normalcy. There will also be opportunities to engage with other participants and the presenter to discuss how these issues materialize in practice.

The ABA is only seeking MCLE credit for this program in Pennsylvania. No credit will be available in other states.