Know Your Rights: Kinship Families
This presentation is for relative and kin families who are interested in being a permanency resource for a child in foster care they know and love. It also may be helpful for attorneys who represent kin, as well as other professionals working in the child welfare system who want to understand the law and their obligations in light of recent changes to Minnesota law.
This presentation will explore the rights of relatives or kin. It will address important considerations and timeframes, from a legal standpoint, at different stages of a child protection case. The presentation will also explore when to hire an attorney and what to expect if relative/kin end up seeking representation, and ways to figure out if an attorney is competent in these types of cases.
Presenters
Natalie Netzel JD, MSE, is an Assistant Professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law where she serves as Co-Director of Clinics and Advocacy and Education Director for the Institute to Transform Child Protection. She supervises law students and social work students who represent parents and kin in all stages of child welfare proceedings. She also holds an M.S.E. in Counseling. Natalie is an advocate for trauma-informed lawyering and resilient practice.
Misty Coonce, MSW, LISW, has worked in the child welfare field for over 10 years. Misty earned her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2010 and is a Licensed Independent Social Worker in the state of Minnesota. She brings personal experience as an adoptee from the Minnesota foster care system and with kinship care within her family throughout her life. Misty is a proud parent to two children. She is a Senior Program Director at Ampersand Families, spearheading our agency’s efforts to increasingly engage relatives and kin as permanency resources for foster youth. The mission of Ampersand Families provides permanency and adoption services to older youth and families who face barriers to equity in child welfare and champions systemic changes that advance belonging, dignity, and hope. We believe that excellent work in adoption must honor youths’ right to sustain relationships with relatives, kin, community, and culture.
Access the Webinar
Please complete and submit the form below to be taken to the training page on MnAdopt’s website. Once on their website, add the webinar to your cart, and go through the checkout process to watch the webinar session. This training is free to access.