Court Preparation and Participation for CCAMs (10 Contact Hours)
- 1 Section
- 12 Lessons
- 2 Quizzes
- 10h Duration
Course Content
- Course Overview & Introduction
- Module 1: The Dependency Court Process and the Guardian ad Litem's Role
- Module 2: Early Hearings: Shelter, Arraignment, and Adjudication
- Module 3: Disposition, Case Plans, and the Guardian ad Litem Recommendation
- Module 4: Judicial Reviews and Permanency Hearings
- Module 5: Writing Effective Court Reports
- Module 6: Preparing Volunteers for Court
- Module 7: Preparing Children for Court Participation
- Module 8: Testifying and Presenting Information in Court
- Module 9: Working With the Guardian ad Litem Attorney on Legal Advocacy
- Module 10: After the Hearing: Orders, Follow-Up, and Special Proceedings
- References
- Post Test
- Program Evaluation
Guardian ad litem advocates are present at every dependency hearing, file written reports and recommendations, and report children's preferences to the court. This 10-contact-hour course addresses the Court Preparation and Participation domain of the Florida Certification Board's CCAM credential and counts toward the 40-hour annual continuing education requirement.
Participants follow a Florida dependency case from the shelter hearing through arraignment, adjudication, disposition, judicial reviews, and the permanency hearing, using verified statutory timelines. The course covers case plan development, writing specific and balanced court reports, preparing volunteers and children for court, testifying under direct and cross-examination, partnering with guardian ad litem attorneys on motions, termination of parental rights, and appeals, and following up after hearings, including Florida's protections for psychotropic medication and residential treatment. Each module includes a case study and a practical tool such as the Court Report Quality Checklist and the Child Court Participation Plan.
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