Committees & Collaborative Council

The Commission's work is conducted primarily through its four standing committees: Systems Improvement, Legal Practice & Process, Training, and Data. Each committee is chaired by a Commissioner and members are drawn from the Commission, Collaborative Council, and other stakeholders in the child welfare system, including DFPS staff.

For more, please visit the sections below.

Systems Improvement

The Systems Improvement (SI) Committee executes innovative projects aimed at encouraging fairness and justice for children, youth, and families; promoting judicial leadership in courts and communities; and expanding court and child welfare system capacity to support continuous, systemic improvement.

Areas of focus include the following:

  • Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children
  • Foster Care & Education
  • Juvenile Justice/Dual Status
  • Prevention
  • Trauma Informed Care
  • Youth Voice & Normalcy

Legal Practice & Process

The Legal Practice & Process (LPP) Committee assists trial and appellate courts, judges, and legal advocates to ensure that children, youth, and families involved with child welfare experience a legal system in which they have access to justice and their rights are protected.

Areas of focus include the following:

  • Child Welfare Law Bench Book
  • Legal Representation Committee
  • Notice & Engagement
  • Parent Resources Workgroup
  • Standards of Representation
  • Tribal/State Collaborative

Training

The Training Committee oversees and develops judicial and legal training efforts at all levels of practice that identify and promote best practices to improve outcomes, and establish and maintain a well-informed judiciary and bar.

Areas of focus include the following:

  • Judicial Conferences
  • Legal Training Support
  • On-Demand Training & MCLE
  • Scholarships
  • Trial Skills Training

Data

The Data Committee focuses on operationalizing data-driven decision-making through continuous quality improvement and an analysis of publicly available child welfare and court data to identify legal processes and practices that produce desired outcomes, as as which practices need improvement.

Areas of focus include the following:

  • Data-driven Areas of Focus
  • Tailored Data Presentations
  • Trend Analysis

Collaborative Council

The Collaborative Council informs and advises the Children's Commission about local, regional, and statewide issues that impact attorney and judicial practices in child welfare cases. Council members include many child welfare stakeholders such as DFPS staff; child placing agencies; service providers; parent and child advocates; experts in related areas such as mental health, education, prevention, juvenile justice, and substance use; as well as child and family advocacy groups. There are approximately 30 Collaborative Council members at any given time.

Collaborative Council members serve at the discretion of the Children’s Commission for no set term. Collaborative Council members do not represent the Children’s Commission and members should not attempt to influence legislation on behalf of the Children’s Commission.

Additional Documents