Reasonable Efforts and Aggravated Circumstances: When Duty Applies When it Doesnt and What it Means for Terminating Parent

Course overview

This session examines the legal framework governing the state's obligation to make reasonable efforts to reunify families. We will explore the statutory obligations of the reasonable efforts requirement, and the limited circumstances under which efforts may be bypassed. Particular attention will be paid to how appellate courts have interpreted these provisions, the procedural safeguards that must accompany any decision to forgo reasonable efforts, and the relationship between the state's efforts (or lack thereof) and later termination proceedings. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of what the law actually requires, where common misunderstandings arise, and how rigorous attention to reasonable efforts at every stage protects both families and the integrity of the child welfare system. Target Audience: This training is intended for all child welfare professionals including jurists, prosecutors, attorneys, Lawyer-Guardians Ad Litem, CPS and foster care workers, service providers, and Foster Care Review Board members.