Lesson series
Session 5: Child Risk Factors
Estimated Completion Time: 3 hours
This session introduces participants to common child and youth risk factors that can affect safety, stability, and permanency in child welfare cases. Using the Gabriella Brooks case, participants examine how risk and protective factors interact in a child’s life and how CASA volunteers analyze these factors when gathering information, documenting observations, and advocating for services. Participants will also learn how to distinguish parenting challenges from neglect, recognize mental and behavioral health risk indicators, and identify when the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) may apply in a case.
This session introduces participants to common child and youth risk factors that can affect safety, stability, and permanency in child welfare cases. Using the Gabriella Brooks case, participants examine how risk and protective factors interact in a child’s life and how CASA volunteers analyze these factors when gathering information, documenting observations, and advocating for services. Participants will also learn how to distinguish parenting challenges from neglect, recognize mental and behavioral health risk indicators, and identify when the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) may apply in a case.