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Representing Children in Abuse and Neglect Cases a Guide for Pro Bono Attorneys

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Representing Children in Abuse and Neglect Cases a Guide for Pro Bono Attorneys Representing Children in Abuse and Neglect Cases A guide for pro bono attorneys This Manual provides general information for pro bono attorneys on handling abuse or neglect cases in Washoe County, Nevada. It is not intended to be legal advice on a specific matter involving a specific case. The legal information is believed to be current as of March, 2017. Although the client in this Manual is referred to as “he” or “him, use of the masculine pronoun includes the feminine pronoun (and vice-versa, where applicable) as many, if not more, dependent children are female. Nothing in this Manual should substitute for reference to Nevada statutory or case law. When in doubt, please contact your mentor at Washoe Legal Services for information concerning current law or current practice in the Second Judicial District, Family Court. This Manual was published with funds provided by the Supreme Court of Nevada, Administrative Office of the Courts, Court Improvement Project through collaboration between the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada and Washoe Legal Services. What Am I Getting Myself Into? Representing a child who has been abused or neglected can be frustrating and time- consuming, yet also very rewarding. Your client’s age will affect his ability to recount what happened to him or express his desires. Sometimes the facts surrounding his abuse or neglect will be horrifying or heartrending. Your client will have been taken from his home -- and possibly separated from his siblings -- and placed into an institution or unfamiliar foster care setting without his fully understanding what is happening or why. He is likely to be angry or resentful of this change and may believe that he is being punished or that what has happened is somehow his fault. He may “act out” or be sullen, uncommunicative or depressed – all of which might be appropriate responses to the trauma. Accepting this child as a client means that you must advocate for what he wants – not what any other person or professional, including you, thinks ought to happen or is in his best interests (leave this for the CASA). Your job is to promote the child’s desires to the caseworker, the therapist, and most importantly, to the court, and work to make that happen. In most cases, you must confront an inefficient and impersonal bureaucratic and legal system. If what your client wants is impossible, your job is to achieve a viable alternative. For example, if your client wants to live with mom who is in prison, perhaps he will accept living with grandmother until mom is released and able to care for him. There is no telling what the child may want: He may be in foster care and want to live with a relative in another state; he may want to be adopted; he may be in a resident treatment center (e.g., Adolescent Treatment Center) and desperately want to live anywhere but there; or he may want to be on his own. Chapter 2 of this Manual briefly describes the legal process that begins after an allegation of abuse or neglect. However, your child’s issues most likely won’t be limited to these standard court proceedings. Usually other issues require your intervention on behalf of your client such as appropriate therapeutic or educational services, changes in placement, and open adoption agreements. An in-depth discussion of every potential issue is beyond the scope of this Manual and most may not apply to your particular client. Therefore, the Child Advocacy attorneys at Washoe Legal Services are available as mentors and experts to advise and assist you with any issues beyond the ordinary task of ensuring that the court-adopted permanency plan is acceptable to your client. Please feel free to contact them for assistance. As of this writing, counsel represent approximately 35% of all children removed from their homes. This means that, for 600 children, the court never hears their voices, wants, or needs even though any court decision will permanently affect their lives. Your willingness to advocate for an abused or neglected child would mean one less child suffering re- victimization by the legal process. i TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE: ACRONYMS AND DEFINITIONS 1 CHAPTER TWO: A CHILD’S JOURNEY THROUGH DEPENDENCY COURT Introduction 10 Steps Leading Up to Litigation 10 Pre-Litigation Investigation by Child Protective Services 10 Protection Without Removing the Child 11 Emergency Removal 12 Protective Custody Hearing 13 Adjudicatory and Evidentiary Hearings on the Petition Adjudicatory Hearing 13 Evidentiary Hearing on the Petition 14 Dispositional Hearing 14 Review Hearings 15 Other Hearings 16 Permanency Hearing 16 CHAPTER THREE: THE LAWYER’S ROLE Nevada Revised Statutes 19 ABA Standards of Practice for Lawyers who Represent Children 19 The Lawyer’s Role in Practice 20 CHAPTER FOUR: LAWYER’S DUTIES Interview Your Client 22 Determine Your Client’s Interests 23 ii Mandatory Reporting Rules and Exceptions 24 Solicit and Take Direction from Your Child Client 25 What to Do If Your Client’s Direction Appears Harmful 26 Counsel Your Client 27 Be Informed 27 Conduct Discovery, File Motions, and Obtain Court Orders 29 Appear in Court 29 Preserve Your Independence 30 Other Proceedings 30 CHAPTER FIVE: PERMANENCY 32 CHAPTER SIX: TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS 34 CHAPTER SEVEN: CHILDREN IN COURT Review Hearings 37 Criminal or Evidentiary Hearings 37 CHAPTER EIGHT: SPECIFIC CHILD PROTECTION ISSUES Foster Care Issues 39 Visitation 40 Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard/Normalcy 41 Education 41 Special Education 43 Placement with Relatives 44 Interstate Placement 45 Open Adoption/Post-Adoption Contact 46 iii Adoption Assistance 47 Psychological/Behavioral Issues 48 Psychotropic Drugs/Chemical Restraint 49 Special Immigrant Juvenile Status 52 “Aging Out” – Independent Living 54 Assembly Bill (AB350) 54 Status Quo 56 Nevada’s Foster Youth Bill of Rights and Sibling Bill of Rights 56 CHAPTER NINE: REPRESENTING PREVERBAL CHILDREN 60 CHAPTER TEN: ADVOCATING WITH OTHERS ON YOUR CLIENT’S CASE WCDSS Caseworkers 65 Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) 65 Foster Care Agencies 66 Therapists and Teachers 67 Adoptions Worker 67 Recruitment Worker 68 CHAPTER ELEVEN: INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT (ICWA) 69 CHAPTER TWELVE: OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION AND RESOURCES 72 iv CHAPTER ONE Acronyms and Definitions The following is a list of abbreviations and terms that you are likely to encounter. Abuse: NRS §432B.020 provides: 1. “Abuse or neglect of a child means, except as otherwise provided in subsection 2: a. physical or mental injury of a non-accidental nature; b. sexual abuse or sexual exploitation; or c. negligent treatment or maltreatment as set forth in NRS 432B.140, of a child caused or allowed by a person responsible for his welfare under circumstances which indicate that the child’s health or welfare is harmed or threatened with harm. 2. A child is not abused or neglected, nor is his health or welfare harmed or threatened for the sole reason that his a. Parent delivers the child to a provider of emergency services pursuant to NRS 432B.630, if the parent complies with the requirements of paragraph (a) of subsection 3 (delivery of unwanted newborn less than 30 days old); or b. Parent or guardian, in good faith, selects and depends upon nonmedical remedial treatment for such child, if such treatment is recognized and permitted under the laws of this State in lieu of medical treatment. This subsection does not limit the court in ensuring that a child receive a medical examination and treatment pursuant to NRS 62E.280. 3. As used in this section, “allow” means to do nothing to prevent or stop the abuse or neglect of a child in circumstances where the person knows or has reason to know that a child is abused or neglected.” The terms “mental injury,” “physical injury,” “sexual abuse,” “sexual exploitation” and “negligent treatment or maltreatment” are specifically defined in NRS Sections 432B.070, 432B.090, 432B.100, 432B.110 and 432B.140. Adjudicatory Hearing: A hearing that occurs within 30 days after the District Attorney files a Petition for Hearing. In this petition, the child’s parent(s) or other caretaker either admits, denies, or does not contest (submits to) the factual allegations of abuse or neglect in the Petition. Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA): ASFA (42 USC §671, et seq.) was passed by Congress in 1997 to assure the health and safety of children and to promote permanent homes for children. ASFA requires, among other things, that children who are removed from parental care either be returned to them or placed in an alternative permanent placement within one year from the date they were taken into protective custody. ASFA mandates that caseworkers concurrently plan to return the child home and place the child in an alternative permanent placement. ASFA mandates that children’s safety be the paramount concern in all placement decisions. These federal mandates were enacted in 1 Nevada and are set forth in NRS Chapter 432B. Adoptions Worker: This WCDSS caseworker is responsible for preparing court reports and other documents (e.g., Social Summary) needed to effectuate a child’s adoption into protective custody. Cases generally transfer from a permanency worker to an adoptions worker once a child is 100% legally free for adoption and in his prospective adoptive home. Alternate Plan: An alternate plan is made when a child cannot be safely returned to his parents. Families, relatives, foster parents, attorneys for parents or the child, or others in the community, may help develop the plan. The alternate plan may be adoption, permanent placement with a relative, guardianship, or permanent foster care. If an alternate plan becomes the goal for a child, the court must approve that plan.
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