National judicial leadership summits on child welfare
Background
The national judicial leadership summits, hosted annually by NCSC since 2019, bring together leaders from the legal, judicial, and child welfare communities to drive positive change in the child welfare system.
2026 child welfare court support
NCSC is accepting requests from state courts for free, targeted support to advance child welfare improvement efforts. Support must be completed by December 31, 2026, and requests must be submitted by a state court. Court partners are welcome to work with a court to initiate a request.
What NCSC can provide:
- Court leadership strategy sessions – short, facilitated conversations with court leadership to clarify priorities and opportunities for reform.
- Facilitated brainstorming – helping court teams identify priorities, challenges, and next steps.
- Cross-systems leadership meetings – support establishing and facilitating meetings focused on system change and improvements.
- Lived expert engagement support – guidance on partnering with lived experts to advise and shape reform.
- One-hour coaching call – rapid problem-solving or practice refinement.
- Rapid review and feedback of court materials – fast feedback on draft policies, bench cards, forms, or surveys.
- Virtual court observations – followed by a debrief and immediate practical suggestions.
- Rapid data snapshot – helping courts understand trends and bottlenecks.
- Mini-education sessions (30-60 minutes) – targeted for court leaders and system partners on child welfare topics.
- Resource matching – pointing courts to ready-to-use tools and templates.
- Peer connection – introductions to judges or court teams engaging in similar efforts.
Contact Miguel Trujillo for additional information or questions.
2025 summit
On May 29, "The missing piece: Courts integrating lived expertise in child welfare system improvement" brought together dependency court leaders, child welfare professionals, attorneys, system partners, and lived-experience experts — including former foster youth, parents, and caregivers - for a half-day virtual summit. Participants shared insights and discussed actionable strategies for partnering with individuals who have firsthand experience with the child welfare system. Sessions focused on engaging lived-experience experts in court policy, exploring collaborative approaches to system reform, and shifting
the role of lived experts from token participants to valued teammates. The summit was co-designed with lived experts and presented in partnership with Casey Family Programs.
Resources
- Watch the summit recording.
- Review supplemental materials.
2023 summit
In partnership with the Conference of Chief Justices, Conference of State Court Administrators, and Casey Family Programs, we hosted a two-day virtual event that provided a platform to support state courts and their partners in improving child welfare outcomes. The event featured subject matter experts who highlighted innovative, court-led child welfare system practices and family-centered approaches.
Resources
- Equity analysis for dependency courts: This tool helps dependency court leaders identify areas where disproportionality and disparity exist in the court process.
- Five considerations for courts compensating lived experts: This brief offers strategies for compensating lived experts in a fair and flexible way.
- Summit action guide: This guide consolidates key takeaways from summit presentations, outlining immediate actions and suggesting ways to start meaningful conversations with stakeholders about improving child welfare practices.
Recordings
- Welcome and opening of the virtual event (day one)
- Reflecting on the past to move our system forward together
- Leveraging Title IV-E dollars for high-quality legal representation
- Inclusive and exclusive language
- Strengths of the Indian Child Welfare Act for Families
- Spotlight - National Judicial Task Force to Examine State Courts' Response to Mental Illness
- Opening remarks (day two)
- Ten ways to cultivate a culture of engagement in the courtroom
- Civil rights and child welfare
- The intersection of housing and child welfare: actionable solutions for court personnel and system partners
- Spotlight: advocating for pre-petition representation in Maine
- The Kentucky model for identifying and addressing racial, ethnic, and equity disparities
- Spotlight: Ohio legal help – online kinship care planning tools
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