On July 22, 2019, the Oklahoma Supreme Court approved the establishment of a task force to study and report on legal representation of children and parents in legal proceedings set forth in the Oklahoma Children’s Code, 10A O.S. 1-1-101 et seq. The task force was required to produce an interim report in February of this year. The following are highlights from that report. [Read More at www.okbar.org]
Category: Collaboration
Permanency Mediation Available
Early Settlement Child Permanency Mediation is available to all courts across Oklahoma!
There are fifteen (15) Early Settlement programs, which include Child Permanency Program offices in Oklahoma and Tulsa counties, with staff and volunteers across the state to assist your court with Child Permanency Mediation.
Child Permanency Mediation is designed to assist parties in deprived cases come to consensus recommendations on how to best move a case forward to permanency, and it can be used at any point in the life of a case.
- Use it at the beginning, prior to an adjudication.
- Use it at 6 months to resolve issues with engaging in individual service plans.
- Use it when permanency goals are going to change from reunification to adoption
Early Settlement can assist in creating solutions that improve permanency outcomes for children and families!
FAQ’s
Who are the Child Permanency mediators and what training do they receive?
Early Settlement mediators are community volunteers who received the following training:
- Basic Civil (20 hours)
- Family and Divorce (40 hours)
- Child Permanency (8 hours)
When is the best time to send a case to Child Permanency Mediation?
- Use it at the beginning, prior to an adjudication.
- Use it at 6 months to resolve issues with engaging in individual service plans.
- Use it when permanency goals are going to change from reunification to adoption.
Can a case be sent to Mediation just prior to a Jury Trial to terminate parental rights?
Yes, however, understand that there are very limited options on reaching a consensus recommendation at that time in a case.
What are the limited options when sending a case to mediation just prior to a trial?
- The State learns new information to could cause them to withdraw a petition to terminate parental rights and give parties more time to complete their treatment plan.
- Parents and all parties agree to a Guardianship.
- Parents decide to relinquish their parental rights, which may include conversations on possible future contact.
- Parents decide to proceed to jury trial. The group can discuss options available if parental rights are voluntarily terminated or involuntarily terminated.
If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to call or email me.
Tim Scott, MSW
Child Permanency Mediation Coordinator
Tim.scott@oscn.net
405-713-6883