Operating Status
ShareCounsel for Child Abuse and Neglect Branch
ABOUT CCAN
The Counsel for Child Abuse and Neglect (CCAN) Office is a branch of the Family Court of the District of Columbia Superior Court. The CCAN Office maintains a list of qualified attorneys who are available for appointment in child abuse and neglect cases. The office also processes the orders appointing counsel in both new and ongoing cases. The CCAN Office provides initial and ongoing training to attorneys who represent children, parents, and caretakers in child abuse and neglect cases. The Office screens adult parties for financial eligibility for court appointed attorneys and assists attorneys who have legal and social work questions about child abuse and neglect cases.
The CCAN Office staff consists of a branch chief, who is an attorney, a social worker, and two deputy clerks. The clerical staff handles case assignment processing, financial eligibility, and inquiries. In addition, the CCAN Office distributes a newsletter with legal, training, and social work updates for attorneys.
The Superior Court has adopted Practice Standards which regulate the performance of attorneys practicing in the child abuse and neglect area pursuant to Administrative Order 03-07. Those standards are in the following document:
| PDF Name | Download PDF |
|---|---|
| CCAN Attorney Practice Standards | Download |
In addition to working with the CCAN trained court appointed attorneys, the CCAN Office also works with the Children’s Law Center which has an agreement with the court to provide representation for some children and caretakers in child abuse and neglect cases. Children's Law Center has staff attorneys who act as guardians ad litem. This organization also recruits and trains pro bono attorneys to represent caretakers who are considering seeking adoption, guardianship, or legal custody of a neglected child. Find their website at www.childrenslawcenter.org.
What do CCAN and Special Education attorneys do?
CCAN attorneys represent indigent parents and act as guardians ad litem for children who are the subject of child abuse and neglect cases in Family Court. Special education attorneys appointed in child abuse and neglect and juvenile delinquency cases represent the education decision makers of the children who are the subjects of these cases.
How do I become a CCAN, GAL, Special Education, PINS, Juvenile Delinquency, Mental Health or Mental Habilitation Panel attorneys eligible for court appointments?
The Family Court is accepting applications from attorneys interested in becoming eligible for the following Family Court Panels: CCAN, GAL, Special Education, Juvenile Delinquency, Post-Commitment Juvenile Attorney, Mental Health and Mental Habilitation. The application and additional information is available on the CCAN General Information page. Please contact CCANStaff [at] dcsc.gov with any questions about the application process for any of the panels.
Is there any additional information I can read about CCAN attorney practice?
Additional information can be found in the Child Abuse and Neglect Attorney Practice Standards, the Special Education Attorney Panel Practice Standards, the Plan for Furnishing Representation in Neglect Proceedings, and the CJA and CCAN Fee Schedule.
What are the scheduling procedures for Family Court child abuse and neglect cases?
Please see the Procedures for the Scheduling of Child Abuse and Neglect Hearings and the 72 Hour Scheduling Chart.
How do CCAN attorneys sign up for days they will be available to accept court appointments?
CCAN/GAL Panel attorneys sign up online for days they will be available to accept cases. The online signup takes place on the 10th of each month (or next business day if the 10th is a weekend or holiday) between 8:30 and 5:00. Attorneys establish a password protected account on the signup website here.
What is Child Protection Mediation?
Child protection mediation provides an opportunity for parents, attorneys and social workers to meet with a neutral mediator in a confidential setting to discuss alternative methods of resolving a child abuse and neglect case, including a discussion of services for parents and children. The sessions take place in Court Building C, 410 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001. See more about Child Protection Mediation.
