Georgia Child Welfare Summit 2017

The Office of the Child Advocate hosted the inaugural child welfare summit on November 27-29, 2017 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Atlanta.  The vital work done by lawyers, judges, case managers and other child welfare professionals to protect abused and neglected children was celebrated and highlighted at the Summit.  The five hundred attendees were offered many seminars and breakout activities providing opportunities for professional enrichment and networking.

During the Summit, attendees were also able to view videos detailing the unique experiences of child welfare professionals in different regions of the State of Georgia.  Please click on the links below to access the videos:

Rockdale County      Fulton County       Chatham County        Hall County             Troup County

Please click here to access additional video footage from the Summit.

Please click here to access materials from the presentations offered at the Summit.

Community Partnership Panel

Judge Michael Key – Making Reasonable efforts: Improving Outcomes for Children and Families

DFCS Field Ops breakout

OCA Director, Tom Rawlings

Opening plenary – Amelia Franck Meyer

"Bringing Our Children Home” – Victoria Sweet, NCJFCJ (National Council of Family and Juvenile Court Judges)

Governor Nathan Deal

Judges breakout

Rockdale County and DFCS Region 5 representatives

Ginger Pryor, Interim DFCS Director, and Jeff Lukich, DFCS Chief of Staff

Brooke Silverthorn, NACC (National Association of Counsel for Children) – Dual Role Children's Representaton: An examination of professional and ethical considerations

Samantha Wolf, CJCC, and Nelly Miles, GBI

OCA Director, Tom Rawlings and Jerry Bruce (J4C/AOC – Justice for Children/Administrative Office of the Courts)