The Supreme Court of Texas established the Children's Commission in 2007 with the overall goal of improving the child welfare system by increasing public awareness of challenges facing children and families involved in the child welfare system and bringing attention to this important issue through judicial leadership, reforming judicial practice, and informing policy affecting child welfare.
2022 Texas Child Welfare Law Bench Book & Bench Cards
The Children's Commission releases and maintains a Texas Child Welfare Law Bench Book (Bench Book) which outlines the state and federal statutory requirements, as well as topical sections, for judges handling child welfare cases. The Bench Cards provide high-level legal and topical information through at-a-glance, easy-to-use checklists that outline relevant laws at the various stages of a child welfare case as well as by topic (e.g., education).
Resources & Reports
Webcast: Children & Youth in Court: How Judges and Attorneys Can Prepare and Support Youth Attending Court
The Children’s Commission hosted a live webcast focused on the importance of youth voice and best practices for preparing a child client for a court appearance, including speaking with the judge about their needs and goals. The recorded webcast was approved for 1.0 hour of MCLE, with 0.25 hours of ethics credit.
New Video Series: Youth Voice Videos Explaining the Attorney-Client Relationship
The Children’s Commission is pleased to announce a two-part video series designed for youth to explain the attorney-client relationship. “Your Lawyer Works for You.” The videos are a collaboration between the Children’s Commission and the Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) Young Adult Leadership Council (YALC) and features young adults formerly in foster care discussing their experiences with their attorneys, articulating basics about the attorney-client relationship, and helping youth understand how to resolve problems with their attorneys. The videos are available on the Children’s Commission's YouTube playlist and the TNOYS YouTube Channel.
