The CICW coordinates three professional networks to facilitate collaboration and networking among professionals across the U.S. who work at the intersection of immigration and child welfare issues.
The CICW Immigration and Child Welfare Practice Network
The CICW Immigration and Child Welfare Practice Network connects a diverse group of child welfare practitioners and administrators, legal practitioners, and policy advocates who work with immigrant children and families who touch the child welfare system. Our network has representatives from CA, OR, WA, ID, IL, CO, NC, NM, NJ, NY, and PA. This network meets virtually on a quarterly basis to discuss questions and challenges and to share solutions and best practices on addressing immigration related issues that impact child welfare system involved children and families. If you are interested in learning more and/or joining this network, please contact us below.
The CICW Research Workgroup
The CICW Research Workgroup consists of researchers and scholars from various academic institutions across the U.S. whose research focuses on a variety of issues at the intersection of child welfare, child wellbeing, and immigration as they impact immigrant and refugee children, youth, and families. This workgroup meets on a regular basis to share about member’s research, brainstorm, and discuss potential areas for collaboration, including how to translate academic research and scholarly articles to make this important data more accessible to practitioners and policy makers. If you are interested in learning more and/or joining this workgroup, please contact us below.
The CICW Legal Network
The CICW Legal Network connects legal practitioners, judicial decision makers, and court administrators interested in meaningfully addressing the legal needs of immigrant children, parents, and families involved in state child welfare systems. Beginning in 2024, the group will meet virtually on a regular basis to discuss questions and challenges and share solutions and best practices on legal issues including high quality representation of immigrant clients, screening clients for immigration needs in a trauma-centered way, addressing the challenges to permanency particular to immigrant clients, and more.
This network does not provide referrals to immigration or child welfare lawyers and is not a setting for discussion of individual cases. To search for an attorney, visit the American Immigration Lawyer Association, Immigration Advocates Network, or the websites of your state and local bar associations.
If you are interested in learning more and/or joining this network, please contact us below. For a curated list of resources for legal professionals visit this page: Key Resources for Legal Professionals
