Report gauges need, effective representation for pre-petition legal representation in child welfare cases
A new report by the Texas Children’s Commission, in conjunction with the Texas Indigent Defense Commission, looks at the critical issue of representation for “Texas children and families who are at risk of involvement with the Department of Family & Protective Services (DFPS).” Absent representation, parents are sometimes pressured into “agreeing” to foster care for their children without understanding the implications of doing so, a problem known as the “shadow foster care system” due to these cases never entering the formal child welfare system. The report is based on a survey of “judges, attorneys who represent parents and children, attorneys who represent DFPS/Single Source Continuum Contractors (SSCC), Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), DFPS/SSCC staff, service providers, and others with knowledge of the Texas child welfare system.” The report looks at the different types of pre-petition representation, models of delivery, and current availability of such services.
