The Children’s Commission will present a live webcast entitled, “Enhancing the Experience of Children & Youth in Court: How Judges and Attorneys Can Prepare and Support Youth Attending Court” on Thursday, October 20, 2022, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central Time.

The webcast will feature an interactive panel with a judge, attorney, and leaders with lived experience in the child welfare system. The panel will include:

· Honorable Delia Gonzales, Associate Judge of the Dallas County Child Protection and Permanency Court;
· Lori Duke, Co-Director and Clinical Professor at the Children’s Rights Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law;
· Betty Bajika, Young Adult Leadership Council Member, Texas Network of Youth Services;
· Leroy Berrones Soto, Project Coordinator, Child Welfare Reviews Project; and
· Ryan Harris, Conservatorship Caseworker, Department of Family and Protective Services.

The discussion will focus on the importance of youth voice and best practices for preparing a child client for a court appearance, including speaking with the judge about their needs and goals.