Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has proposed an extension to Seattle’s parental leave permitted to city employees. He plans to replace the current four-week policy with a new eight week paid leave for employees with infants or ill family members. This eight-week period would effectively be a minimum; the…
The Huffington Post recently interviewed Rafael López, President Obama’s appointed Commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. López sees the child welfare system as “deeply broken” with the chief problem being tha…
Given the inherent nature of divorce and separation it should be no surprise that family law can often be high-conflict, stressful and litigious. While successful co-parenting during and after can be difficult and at times seemingly impossible, it is most often doable with hard work and a willing…
Smartphones and tablets are simply ubiquitous. As a consequence, children are using them more often and at increasingly young ages, whether the actual versions or toys designed to imitate adult devices. Many if not most of us have likely witnessed a young child in our life seemingly addicted to u…
Cannabis use and its effects on Child Custody and Visitation Rights
The Associated Press recently highlighted the varied standards and outcomes nationwide for termination of parental rights.[1] According to the data provided there from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington State in 2014 had 10,630 children in out-of-home care, with 1,733 of…
Incarcerated parents have an especially difficult time maintaining a meaningful role in their dependency cases for many reasons, including:
· DSHS often has little to no information on the parent, including their name and basic whereabouts. They often rely on the other parent for t…
If you don’t already know anecdotally, cursory Googling will show how working parents in the U.S. face a bleak picture for parental leave. While new mothers generally don’t get enough time off, new fathers get even less so, if any. When my son was born last year most of my family and friends had …
Your Box of Chocolates – Choose wisely
It’s not all a matter of law and presumptions – relocation that actually serves the child’s best interest is also a matter of sacrifice, selflessness, sharing and doing what is right for the children without regard to what might be “fair” or “reasonable.”…
