Blakely Hamilton
JD
Children's Law Center of California
Blakely Hamilton
Blakely Hamilton is an attorney at Children's Law Center of California (CLC), where she is a part of CLC's Mental Health Advocacy Team. Ms. Hamilton uses her extensive courtroom experience to work collaboratively with CLC attorneys and other specialists to improve the emotional well-being and functioning of CLC clients. Ms. Hamilton received her undergraduate degree from New York University and her J.D. from University of Southern California. Blakely is a Child Welfare Law Specialist certified by the National Association of Counsel for Children and the state bar of California.
SESSION OVERVIEW
We're All in this Together! Demystifying the Dependency Court System and Collaborating with Attorneys
Have you ever worked with an LGBTQ+ youth who is in foster care? Interested in learning what happens in their dependency case? Want to know how you best collaborate with the youth’s attorney to ensure best outcomes for these youth? Two attorneys from Children’s Law Center of California will guide you through the dependency court process and teach you the basics of dependency (child welfare) law. We will provide lots of statistics about who ends up in this system, including how LGBTQ+ youth are overrepresented, as well as identify specific resources to support these youth. Case studies will be used to help solidify an understanding of these techniques and practices in small group discussions.