School of Law's Center for Families, Children and the Courts Hosts Urban Child Symposium, April 7
March 7, 2011
Contact: University Relations
Phone: 410.837.5739
The University of Baltimore School of Law's Center for Families, Children and the Courts will host its third annual Urban Child Symposium on Thursday, April 7 in the school's Venable Baetjer Howard Moot Court Room, 1415 Maryland Ave. This national gathering of experts and advocates—from policymakers to judges, from parents to service providers—will feature a day-long conversation designed to address and propose remedies for some of the daunting problems that face urban children who are abused and neglected, including the systems that are in place to assist them.
"The Urban Child in the Child Welfare System: From Fracture to Fix" is free and open to the public, although preregistration is strongly recommended as space is limited. Online registration is available here.
Few problems of urban children are as heartbreaking or frightening as those the child welfare system regularly confronts. State intervention in families' lives touches the most profound human relationships, and sometimes trauma is magnified rather than lessened. On the other hand, failure to act can mean a child never makes it to healthy adulthood. Issues of poverty, class, race and culture can increase the challenge for the child welfare workers and courts charged with protecting children while respecting family integrity. State and federal legislators have tried to reform the greatest ills of the system, but the debate continues about the impact of the purported cures.
Among those scheduled to speak at the event are Shay C. Bilchik, research professor and director of the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute. Beginning at 9:15 a.m., Bilchik will provide an overview, "The History of Tackling Child Welfare System Reform and Current Efforts."
Panel topics will include "Appropriate Scope and Process of the Child Welfare System," "Making the Child Welfare System Work," and "Straight Talk About the Child Welfare System: A Facilitated Discussion."
For the complete agenda, go here.
If you need special accommodations, contact the School of Law at 410.837.4468 by March 7. Information about visitor parking at the University is available at www.ubalt.edu/parking.
Contact Sharon Curley at 410.837.5615 or scurley@ubalt.edu with any questions.
The University of Baltimore is a member of the University System of Maryland and comprises the School of Law, the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Public Affairs and the Merrick School of Business.