September Webinar:

Caregivers in Court: Notice and Engagement

The Children’s Commission will host a webinar on Monday, September 28, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. entitled “Caregivers in Court: Notice and Engagement.”

The webinar will feature Hon. Cheryl Vaughan, Associate Judge of the Child Protection Court Eighth Region North in Gainesville, Courtney Pardue Wheeler, Attorney of the Pardue Law Firm, and Zachary Haston, foster parent and 2nd VP with the Texas Foster Family Association. The webinar will address the legal framework governing caregiver notice and engagement; include practical insights from the bench, bar, and caregiver perspectives; and explore effective approaches to engaging caregivers in child welfare court proceedings.

MCLE credit is pending. This presentation will be archived, and materials will be available on the Children’s Commission website following the live webinar.

Now Available:

Representing DFPS in Child Welfare Cases

A recording of the recent Children’s Commission webinar entitled “Representing DFPS in Child Welfare Cases” is now available on the Children's Commission On-Demand Training and MCLE webpage webpage. This webinar was the third session in a three-part webinar series on legal representation for children, parents, and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS).

Panelists shared best practices for representing DFPS throughout a child welfare case, including a discussion on fulfilling legal requirements, maintaining effective client communication, and advocating on behalf of DFPS in court proceedings.

The course was approved for 1.25 hours of MCLE by the State Bar of Texas. This course was also approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.25 hours of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty field of Child Welfare Law.

Now Available:

Developing Pathways for Students in Foster Care

A recording of the recent Children’s Commission webinar entitled “Developing Pathways for Students in Foster Care” is now available on the Children's Commission On-Demand Training and MCLE webpage.

Speakers provided an introduction to the Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and shared resources for creating employment pathways for students in foster care, including a discussion on how CTE programs prepare students for future careers by providing academic, technical, and employability skills through hands-on learning experiences aligned with high-demand industries.

The course was approved for 1.0 hour of MCLE by the State Bar of Texas. This course was also approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.0 hour of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty field of Child Welfare Law.

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For a complete list of Resource Letters, please visit the Children's Commission webpage. Information provided by the Children’s Commission should not be read as a commentary by the Supreme Court of Texas or any other court. The Children’s Commission website is not equipped to facilitate dialogue or conversation about matters related to the information in this communique. For more information about the Children’s Commission, please visit our website.

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