Welcome to Season 2 of Beyond the Bench, a podcast by the NC Judicial College at the UNC School of Government. Season 2 tells the story of homelessness, neglect and the child welfare system in NC. During this Season, we’ll talk about what family homeless looks like, whether homelessness is child neglect, and if and when it is, how the child welfare system responds to families affected by homelessness. We’ll do this by following two court cases from the past year that addressed child neglect because of allegations related to homelessness.  Each episode represents a different stage in the child welfare process. You’ll hear from lots of different people who will share the various perspectives in a case, including shelter providers, county departments, a parent attorney, the children’s guardian ad litem, and the court.

S02 Episode 00: Welcome to Season 2 of Beyond the Bench

"Beyond the Bench" is a podcast about the legal system produced by the North Carolina Judicial College at the UNC School of Government. It is interview-based, with guests including judges, lawyers, professors, and citizens who have participated in court proceedings. Some interviews focus on guests’ personal experiences and opinions, while others explore discrete legal issues. The podcast is organized by season, with each season being focused on a particular type of case. For example, season one is about criminal law, and is hosted by Jeff Welty, a member of the criminal law faculty at the School of Government and the Director of the North Carolina Judicial College.

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In this last episode, you’ll learn about permanent outcomes for the family and child, with a discussion of two opposite outcomes: a child’s reunification with his/her parents and the child’s adoption after a termination of parental rights. Find out what happens in our remaining court case!
 

Season 02, Episode 06: Obtaining Permanency

We’re back with Episode 5, “The Child’s Voice in Court: The Role of the Guardian ad Litem,” for our Beyond the Bench Season 2 podcast. In this episode, we take a break from our court cases to focus on the child. Find out how the child’s perspective is represented in court, through a guardian ad litem and the child him or herself.

The Child’s Voice in Court: The Role of the Guardian ad Litem

At the end of our last episode, one of our two cases ended when the court dismissed it after concluding the child was not neglected. But in our other case, the case where the children were living with their parents in a van in the woods without adequate shelter, food, and hygiene and were exposed to their parent’s domestic violence, the children were adjudicated neglected and the court entered a dispositional order. That order placed the children with their grandmother, set a visitation schedule for the parents and children, and required the parents to cooperate with the department in case planning, complete certain assessments, and participate in domestic violence counseling. In today’s episode we’ll hear from county department social workers and attorney, a parent attorney, a child’s guardian ad litem, and district court judges to learn about  the next steps that happen in the case – both in court and out of court.  You’ll be introduced to five new terms: case planning, reasonable efforts, kinship and nonkinship placements, review hearing, and permanency planning.

Season 02, Episode 04: The Case Plan – In and Out of Court

In this episode, through interviews with district court judges, a county department of social services attorney and a parent attorney, we will talk about the hearing where the court decides if the child is neglected and what happens afterwards.

Season 02, Episode 03: The Trial: Adjudicating Neglect

In today’s episode, through interviews with county department social workers and attorney, the state Guardian ad litem program, a parent attorney, and district court judges, we’ll discuss how the county department responds to a report of suspected neglect and when court action is needed. This area of the law has its own language, and you’ll learn about some new terms today, including screening in, screening out, assessment, filing a petition, and non-secure custody.

S02 Episode 00: Welcome to Season 2 of Beyond the Bench

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