Scholarships & Support

The Children's Commission regularly offers scholarships to judges and attorneys to attend state and national conferences. Scholarships typically reimburse attendees for conference registration fees, and occasionally, for travel-related expenses.

For all scholarships, the Children's Commission determines scholarship criteria and deploys an application process that includes required pre- and post-conference evaluations.

Information about Children’s Commission scholarships and application deadlines is available on this webpage and is announced through the Children’s Commission’s Resource Letter.

For questions regarding scholarships, please contact the Children's Commission at CCscholarships@txcourts.gov.

Generally, to meet the criteria for attorney scholarships, the applicant must:

  • currently represent DFPS or receive appointments on child welfare law;
  • be in good standing with the State Bar of Texas;
  • be in good standing with their primary or appointing judge; and
  • commit to completing and timely submitting a post-event survey from the Children’s Commission, in addition to the pre-event survey portion contained in the Commission scholarship application of their choice.

Scholarships may also be awarded to additional attorney applicants with substantial involvement in the practice area of child welfare law if funds remain after the Commission awards scholarships to all eligible applicants that meet the criteria outlined by the scholarship.

Substantial involvement in the practice of child welfare law includes, but is not limited to, attorneys serving as general counsel or providing other legal services for an SSCC; attorneys serving as appellate, policy, or training attorneys for DFPS or Texas CASA; attorneys employed at organizations which provide services to individuals involved with the child welfare system and/or to young adults who experienced the child welfare system; attorneys who provide legal education and resources to attorneys practicing child welfare law; and attorneys who mediate child welfare cases.

To be eligible for a judicial scholarship, applicants must handle civil child welfare cases.

Preference may be given to judicial and attorney applicants who have not received scholarships from the Children’s Commission within the past two years. Other considerations include, but are not limited to, the percentage of a judge’s docket or an attorney’s law practice dedicated to child welfare law.

Scholarship opportunities are funded by a federal grant, which is managed by the Supreme Court of Texas Children's Commission. The Children's Commission is responsible for reporting attendance in support of the grant expenses. All scholarship awardees are required to participate in the training on the event dates and to provide detailed responses to a post-event survey from the Children’s Commission thereafter.

General Judicial and Attorney Scholarship Requests

The Children’s Commission offers assistance to judges and attorneys who handle civil child welfare cases in Texas and need financial support in order to attend recognized trainings related to child welfare. The scholarship covers reimbursement for training registration fees and does not cover travel, food, or lodging.

This opportunity is designed for trainings which are not already addressed by current Commission scholarships (i.e., the State Bar of Texas Child Protection Law Section CLE, the State bar of Texas Child Abuse and Neglect CLE, and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges conferences).

Applications for scholarship requests must be for trainings that demonstrably relate to improving the safety, permanency, or well-being of children and families involved with the child welfare system. Please note that the Children’s Commission is a state organization and thus cannot participate in or support any political or lobbying activities.

Applications must be submitted no later than two months before the registration deadline for the event. Children’s Commission staff will respond regarding the status of an application no later than two weeks after a complete application is submitted. Approval of applications for a scholarship request is at the discretion of the Children’s Commission and is subject to available funding.

The judicial scholarship covers reimbursement for child welfare related conference or training registration fees. Funding is limited and each scholarship request is subject to availability. There is a limit of one such judicial scholarship per judge per year. Preference may be given to judges who have not received scholarships from the Children’s Commission within the past two years. Other considerations include, but are not limited to, the percentage of a judge’s docket devoted to civil child welfare cases.

Scholarship recipients:

  • are responsible for conference training registration and all necessary expenses up front in order to attend;
  • must monitor the conference training host’s announcements regarding cancellation. In the event of cancellation, recipients are responsible for refund policy requirements and travel plans;
  • must notify Children’s Commission staff if they become unable to attend the training for which they received a scholarship due to an unforeseen circumstance. The Children’s Commission cannot offer reimbursement for those who incur costs and do not attend; and
  • must submit reimbursement requests within 30 days of the date of the event.

To apply, please email CCScholarships@txcourts.gov.

This attorney scholarship request covers reimbursement for child welfare related conference or training registration fees not already addressed by Commission scholarships for attorneys (i.e. the State Bar of Texas Child Protection Law Section’s 101 and Advanced Courses, the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section’s Child Abuse and Neglect Workshop, or the State Bar of Texas Civil Appellate Section’s 101 Course).

All requests for financial assistance are subject to the availability of funds; funding may be limited. Preference may be given to attorneys who have not received a scholarship from the Children’s Commission within the past two years. Preference may also be given to attorneys who either represent DFPS or who actively receive appointments to represent parents and/or children on a child welfare docket. Other considerations include, but are not limited to, the percentage of practice dedicated to civil child welfare law.

Scholarship recipients: 

  • are responsible for conference training registration and all necessary expenses up front in order to attend;
  • must monitor the conference training host’s announcements regarding cancellation. In the event of cancellation, recipients are responsible for refund policy requirements and travel plans;
  • must notify Children’s Commission staff at a minimum of two weeks prior to the event if they become unable to attend the training for which they received a scholarship due to an unforeseen circumstance. The Children’s Commission cannot offer reimbursement for those who incur costs and do not attend; and
  • must submit reimbursement requests within 30 days of the date of the event.

To apply, please email CCScholarships@txcourts.gov.

Scholarship Opportunities for Attorneys

TexasBarCLE and the State Bar of Texas Child Protection Law Section host an Annual Advanced Child Protection Law Course (Advanced Course) each spring. Additionally, Child Protection Law 101 Course (CPL 101) and Child Welfare Law Appellate 101 Course (Appellate 101) are offered as pre-conference trainings. 

The Children’s Commission offers registration scholarships for attorneys to attend either the live event or webcast replays of this course. Please read below for scholarship criteria, attendance policy, and a link to apply.

Dates and Locations:

The 9th Annual Advanced Child Protection Law Course (Advanced Course) will take place in Dallas on April 8-9, 2027. Additionally, a 3-hour Child Protection Law 101 Course (CPL 101) and a 3-hour Child Protection Law Appeals 101 Course (Appeals 101) will also be offered as concurrent tracks in a pre-conference training on the afternoon of April 7, 2027. Both of the 101 Courses and the Advanced Course will also be offered via webcast replay. More information about the course and replay dates will become available on the TexasBarCLE website soon.

Scholarship Details and Criteria:

This scholarship is awarded in the form of waived registration fees to attend the live course(s) or the virtual webcast replay(s). The Children’s Commission will work with the State Bar of Texas to register scholarship recipients directly for the CPL 101 Course, Appeals 101 Course, and the Advanced Course.

Applicants who meet all of the criteria detailed below will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis for the listed scholarships. To meet the criteria, the applicant must: 

  • Currently represent DFPS or actively receive court appointments on a child welfare docket,
  • Be in good standing with the State Bar of Texas, and
  • Complete a post-event survey from the Children’s Commission.

Preference will be given to applicants who currently represent DFPS or actively receive court appointments  on a child welfare docket. Additionally, preference may be given to attorneys who have not received scholarships from the Children’s Commission within the last 2 years. Scholarships may be awarded to additional attorney applicants with substantial involvement in the practice area of child welfare law if scholarship funds remain. 

For the purposes of this scholarship, other substantial involvement in the practice of child welfare law includes, but is not limited to, attorneys serving as general counsel or providing other legal services for an SSCC; attorneys serving as appellate, policy, or training attorneys for DFPS or CASA; attorneys at organizations which provide services to individuals involved with the child welfare system and/or to young adults who experienced the child welfare system; attorneys who provide legal education and resources to attorneys practicing child welfare law; and attorneys who mediate child welfare cases.  

Judges with applicants from their jurisdiction will be notified by the Children’s Commission and asked to confirm that the applicant currently represents DFPS or takes child welfare appointments.

Attendance Policy:

These events are hosted by the State Bar of Texas. This scholarship opportunity is funded by a federal grant, which is managed by the Supreme Court of Texas Children's Commission. The Children's Commission is responsible for reporting attendance in support of the grant expenses.

Applicants for the virtual trainings will be asked to verify their commitment to participate in the training in a timely manner to the Supreme Court of Texas Children’s Commission. If awarded a scholarship, awardees will be asked to verify their attendance at virtual events. 

Scholarship recipients for the virtual trainings are required to participate and submit a completed post-event survey within 30 days of the event, regardless of any extended access to the training. 

All awardees are required to notify the Children’s Commission in writing, at least 2 weeks prior to the event, in the absence of an emergency, if they require a change to their course registration or are unable to attend any of the training dates. Please note that awardees who accept a scholarship but do not attend the course may deprive others of the opportunity to attend the training. Failure to attend the course may also result in the disqualification of the awardee from receiving Commission scholarships in the future.

Application Link:

Please check back for the 2027 scholarship application.

Notification and Logistics:

This scholarship will be awarded in the form of waived registration fees. If you are awarded a scholarship, the Children’s Commission will notify you after the scholarship application period has ended, and we have verified your standing with the Bar and your eligibility with your primary judge.

Please note deadlines for any hotel room block provided by the State Bar of Texas.

The Children’s Commission will work with the State Bar to register all awardees directly. Awardees do not need to register for the CPL 101 Course, Appeals 101 Course, or the Advanced Course. Please note that the Children’s Commission is unable to reimburse attorneys who register for a course and pay the State Bar of Texas directly.

All scholarship awardees are responsible for monitoring notices and emails from the event organizer. The Children’s Commission is not affiliated with the event and may not be aware of notices issued by the event organizer regarding cancellation policies, CLE notices and reporting rules, notices or policies regarding COVID-19, etc.

The State Bar of Texas, in collaboration with the Family Law Section of the State Bar, hosts a Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) one-day Workshop during the Annual State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course held in San Antonio, TX. each August. This one-day training covers current topics of interest to Texas attorneys who practice child welfare law. 

The Children’s Commission provides registration scholarships to attorneys to attend either the live or a replay of the Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) Workshop. Please read below for details about the scholarship to attend the CAN Workshop, applicant criteria, logistics, and a link to apply.

Dates and Locations:

The 2027 Advanced Family Law one-day Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) Workshop will take place in San Antonio on August 4, 2027. Replay dates for the workshop will be announced soon. More information about the course will become available on the TexasBarCLE website soon.

Scholarship Details and Criteria:

This scholarship is awarded in the form of waived registration fees to attend one of the CAN Workshop dates listed above. The scholarship covers registration for the CAN Workshop only and not the full Advanced Family Law Course. The Children’s Commission is not able to reimburse attorneys who pay the State Bar of Texas directly for registration to attend the one-day CAN Workshop. Individuals who register for the full Advanced Family Law Course who attend the CAN Workshop cannot receive a partial reimbursement for the one-day course.

Preference may be given to attorneys who have not received a scholarship from the Children's Commission within the past 2 years, and applicants who meet all the criteria detailed below will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis for a scholarship. To meet the criteria for this scholarship, the applicant must:

  • currently represent DFPS or currently receive court appointments on a child welfare docket,
  • be in good standing with the State Bar of Texas,
  • commit to completing a post-event survey from the Children’s Commission.

Preference will be given to applicants who currently represent DFPS or actively receive court appointments on a child welfare docket. Additionally, preference may be given to attorneys with a higher percentage of their law practice dedicated to child welfare law, or who have not received scholarships from the Children’s Commission within the last 2 years. Scholarships may be awarded to additional attorney applicants with substantial involvement in the practice area of child welfare law if scholarship funds remain.

For the purposes of this scholarship, other substantial involvement in the practice of child welfare law includes, but is not limited to, attorneys serving as general counsel or providing other legal services for an SSCC; attorneys serving as appellate, policy, or training attorneys for DFPS or CASA; attorneys at organizations which provide services to individuals involved with the child welfare system and/or to young adults who experienced the child welfare system; attorneys who provide legal education and resources to attorneys practicing child welfare law; and attorneys who mediate child welfare cases.

Judges with applicants from their jurisdiction will be notified by the Children's Commission and asked to confirm that the applicant currently represents DFPS or takes child welfare appointments.

Attendance Policy:

This event is hosted by the State Bar of Texas. This scholarship opportunity is funded by a federal grant, which is managed by the Supreme Court of Texas Children's Commission. The Children's Commission is responsible for reporting attendance in support of the grant expenses. All scholarship recipients will be expected of the following:

  • Participate in the training on the event date they selected in their application.
  • Complete a post-event survey from the Children’s Commission thereafter.
  • Scholarship recipients attending virtual webcast replay courses will be asked to verify completion of the training within 30 days of the event.
  • Awardees are required to notify the Children’s Commission in writing and in advance if they can no longer participate in their selected training or if they no longer need the registration scholarship. Please note that failure to attend the training may disqualify the awardee from receiving Commission scholarships in the future.

Application Link and Deadline to Apply:

Please check back for the 2027 scholarship application.

Scholarship Notification and Logistics:

This scholarship will be awarded in the form of waived registration fees. The Children’s Commission will notify scholarship recipients after the application period has ended and upon verification of eligibility.

The Children’s Commission will work with the State Bar to register all awardees directly. Awardees do not need to register themselves for the CAN Workshop date selected in their application. The registration scholarship will cover registration for the CAN Workshop only and not the full Advanced Family Law Course. Please note that the Children’s Commission is not able to reimburse attorneys who pay the State Bar of Texas directly for registration to attend the CAN Workshop. Individuals who register for the full Advanced Family Law Course who attend the CAN Workshop cannot receive a partial reimbursement for the one-day course.

All scholarship awardees are responsible for monitoring notices and emails from the event organizer. The Children’s Commission is not affiliated with the event and may not be aware of notices issued by the event organizer regarding cancellation policies, CLE notices and reporting rules, notices or policies regarding COVID-19, etc.

Scholarship Opportunities for Judges

The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) hosts and Annual Conference in July each year. This conference generally features plenary sessions on family law, juvenile justice, child welfare, and family violence. More information about the conference is available on the NCJFCJ events webpage.

The Children’s Commission offers scholarships to Texas judges to attend either the in-person Annual NFCJFCJ Conference or the NCJFCJ National Conference on Juvenile Justice (please see below for more information). Please note, this is a reimbursement scholarship and confirmed awardees will be required to cover their expenses up front in order to attend. Please read below for scholarship criteria, logistics, and a link to apply.

Scholarship Criteria:

To be eligible for a scholarship from the Children's Commission, applicants must handle civil child welfare cases. Preference is given to judges who have larger percentages of their docket dedicated to child welfare cases. Additionally, all scholarship recipients must agree to complete a post-event survey from the Children’s Commission. Early applications are strongly encouraged due to the limited number of scholarships.

This scholarship takes the form of reimbursed registration fees and allowable conference-related expenses such as travel, lodging, and meals, up to $2,000 total. Any additional expenses must be covered by the scholarship recipient.

Scholarship Notification and Travel Logistics:

The Children’s Commission will notify scholarship awardees within three weeks of the close date of the scholarship application. Awardees will need to register for the conference and make their own travel arrangements, including hotel reservations. Confirmed scholarship awardees may submit for reimbursement of eligible expenses upon return. For information regarding eligible travel expenses, please review the Commission’s travel reimbursement guidelines.

Awardees are asked to please take note of the Early Bird and Registration Cancellation provided on the NCJFCJ conference webpages.

Scholarship awardees will be responsible for monitoring the NCJFCJ’s cancellation policies and cancelling their own registration and travel plans in a timely manner, should they become unable to attend. The Children’s Commission cannot offer reimbursement for those who incur costs and do not attend. Please review NCJFCJ’s cancellation policies on their website.

All scholarship recipients are responsible for monitoring notices and emails from the event organizer. The Children’s Commission is not affiliated with the event and may not be aware of notices issued by the event organizer regarding cancellation policies, CLE notices and reporting rules, notices or policies regarding COVID-19, etc.

For questions regarding this scholarship, please contact the Children's Commission at CCscholarships@txcourts.gov.

Application Link and Deadline to Apply:

Please check back for the 2027 scholarship application.

The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) hosts an Annual Conference on Juvenile Justice in March of each year. The conference generally features plenary sessions on family law, juvenile justice, child welfare, and family violence. More information about the annual conference is available on the NCJFCJ events webpage.

The Children’s Commission offers scholarships to Texas judges to attend the in-person Annual Conference or the NCJFCJ National Conference on Juvenile Justice. Please note, this is a reimbursement scholarship and confirmed awardees will be required to cover their expenses up front in order to attend. Please read below for scholarship criteria, logistics, and a link to apply.

Scholarship Details and Criteria:

To be eligible for a scholarship from the Children’s Commission, applicants must handle civil child welfare cases. Preference is given to judges who have larger percentages of their docket dedicated to child welfare cases. Additionally, all scholarship recipients must agree to complete a post-event survey from the Children’s Commission. Early applications are strongly encouraged due to the limited number of scholarships.

This scholarship takes the form of reimbursed registration fees and allowable conference-related expenses, such as travel, lodging, and meals, up to $2,000 total. Any additional expenses must be covered by the scholarship recipient.

Scholarship Notification and Travel Logistics:

The Children’s Commission will notify scholarship awardees within three weeks of the close date of the scholarship application. Awardees will need to register for the conference and make their own travel arrangements, including hotel reservations. Confirmed scholarship recipients may submit for reimbursement of eligible expenses upon return. For information regarding eligible travel expenses, please review the Commission’s travel reimbursement guidelines.

Awardees are asked to please take note of the Early Bird and Registration Cancellation provided on the NCJFCJ conference webpages.

Scholarship awardees will be responsible for monitoring the NCJFCJ’s cancellation policies and cancelling their own registration and travel plans in a timely manner, should they become unable to attend. The Children’s Commission cannot offer reimbursement to those who incur costs and do not attend. Please review NCJFCJ’s cancellation policies on their website.

All scholarship awardees are responsible for monitoring notices and emails from the event organizer. The Children’s Commission is not affiliated with the event and may not be aware of notices issued by the event organizer regarding cancellation policies, CLE notices and reporting rules, notices or policies regarding COVID-19, etc.

For questions regarding this scholarship, please contact the Children's Commission at CCscholarships@txcourts.gov.

Application Link and Deadline to Apply:

Please check back for the 2027 scholarship application.

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