2024 Focus on Unification
As part of the annual nationwide American Bar Association (ABA) Center on Children and the Law’s Family Reunification effort, every June the ABA celebrates parents and their children, kin and families, caseworkers, attorneys, judges and others as Reunification heroes through national reunification events on the ABAs website, along with hosting webinars and events over the past 10 years. This year, the ABA is broadening our focus and attention on family unity to include celebrating "Unification Month" signifying the importance of preventing removals and separations whenever possible and keeping families intact through advocacy, supports and services.
Going forward, the ABA will honor all types of families involved within the child welfare system, those who have reunified with their children as well as those who have been able to remain together without agency intervention or a removal. As we focus on family unity, let us remember that our goal is more than reunification, its unification. Unification events can and should celebrate the resource caregivers, attorneys, caseworkers and service providers who have fought tirelessly to support both family unification and reunification. They are heroes in the process and are needed and valued. But the center and focus of celebrations should always be families and our recognition of the importance of family. Let’s celebrate and honor parents, listen to them and ask them what they need from us to keep their family joyfully whole.
2024 Family Unification Heroes
Congratulations to all our 2024 Family Unification Heroes! Special thanks to the Center on Children and the Law Summer Interns Allie Kotter, Alicia Foster, Zara Ashford and Madison DeLacy for conducting this year’s Heroes’ interviews. Read more about them at the links below:
Sharwline Nicholson and her Hero Attorney Team David Lansner and Carolyn Kubitschek (New York)
2024 Family Unification Month Webinars
Increasing Reunification Efforts by
Eliminating Child Support Referrals
June 11, 3-4 EDT/12-1 PST
As part of National Family Unification Month, panelists discussed new federal guidelines designed to improve unification efforts along with prevent unnecessary family separations, current child support practices, and the harmful impact of these practices in delaying reunifying families. Hear from Shrounda Selivanoff, Social Service Manager at the Washington State Office of Public Defense Parent Representation Program, Jill Duerr Berrick, Ph.D., Professor of Social Welfare at University of California at Berkeley, and Jey Rajaraman, Associate Director, Legal Representation Projects at the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, as they discussed how we can concretely challenge harmful practices and implement these shifting guidelines in and out of the courtroom.
Download the powerpoint for the program here.
To see a map of states and localities that have changed laws or regulations to restrict child support collection for foster care, click here.
For more information on this topic visit Shifting Federal Guidance on Mandatory Child Support Orders.
What does Preserving Families look like Under ICWA and for Indigenous Families
June 25th, 3-4 EDT/12-1 PST
During this Family Unification Month, the Center, along with its national partners, will be highlighting how we as a community of advocates can better achieve prevention and reunification planning effectively as a primary goal. This webinar focused on the importance of cultural connections in supporting families within the Indigenous communities involved with the child welfare system. Learn from Lived Expertise, Parent Advocates, and legal experts on ICWA and on how to integrate cultural teachings inside the courtroom and within case work practices. Speakers will include Forester Middleton, Community Advocate, Shana King , Parent Mentor, ICWA Law, Kyle Spang, Community Advocate, Sheldon Spotted Elk, Senior Director at Casey Family Programs, Judicial National Engagement and others.