New Study Offers First Detailed Look at Parent Attorney Status in Georgia
A new Vinson Institute study will provide legal and social services officials with a detailed statewide assessment of the parent attorney practice in Georgia. Faculty and staff are conducting the study on behalf of the Administrative Office of the Courts’ Committee on Justice for Children.
Parent attorneys provide legal representation for parents involved in deprivation proceedings within the juvenile justice system, explains Allison McWilliams, Vinson Institute faculty member and study director. “It has long been understood that the best outcome for children, if it can be done safely, is to try and keep a family together. A critical factor in determining that outcome is to make certain that the parents involved have adequate legal representation,” said McWilliams. “This study will be a useful information tool for those charged with monitoring the practice.”
Vinson Institute survey research specialists will design and conduct a statewide survey of Georgia judges and attorneys. Child and family policy experts will look beyond the state’s borders to gather best practices information through research and interviews with selected legal officials. Other planned activities include training for child welfare attorneys at the State Bar of Georgia headquarters in Atlanta and presentations at relevant conferences. A trained social worker on the Institute’s staff will be available to parent attorneys to provide social work services.
At the conclusion of its work, the Vinson Institute will issue a report to the Committee on Justice for Children that offers both findings and recommendations for improving the practice of parent attorneys in Georgia.
