St. John's University School of Law to Host Symposium on Child Welfare

November 02, 2006

The St. John’s University School of Law’s Child Advocacy Clinic will sponsor a symposium entitled: Race, Culture, Class and Crisis in Child Welfare: Theory into Practice on November 17 beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Belson Moot Court Room on the Queens campus.

Distinguished scholars and practitioners from diverse disciplines, including notable professors from top law schools and other nationally recognized leaders in children’s rights, will come together to engage in expert dialogue. The symposium was established to raise awareness of the impact that race, culture and class have on child welfare, and explore alternatives for improving the current system.

Known internationally for her work on children’s rights, Barbara Bennett Woodhouse, David H. Levin Chair in Family Law; Director, Center on Children and Families; Co-Director, UF Institute for Child & Adolescent Research and Evaluation will provide the Keynote Address. 

John Mattingly, Commissioner of the New York City Administration for Children’s Services, and Kevin Ryan, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Children and Families will serve as panel members, sharing the government perspective of child welfare issues.

Pre-Registration for this event is strongly recommended. 

Registration and breakfast begin at 8:30 a.m. and will be followed by welcoming remarks from St. John’s School of Law Dean Mary C. Daly.  Following the Keynote Address at 9:15 a.m., Panel I will take place from 10–11:40 a.m.  After lunch, Panel II begins at 12:50 p.m. and St. John’s Associate Professor of Law, Elaine M. Chiu, will give the closing remarks at 2:30 p.m.

For additional information, please contact Claire C. McKeever, Assistant Dean of CLE/Alumni Relations at St. John’s University School of Law, at (718) 990-6006 or by e-mail to lawalumni@stjohns.edu.  For media inquiries, please call Elizabeth Reilly, Assistant Director of Media Relations, St. John’s University, at (718) 990-5789, or e-mail inquiries to reillye@stjohns.edu.