Welcome to the Children’s Law Center training registration system. From this page, you can find current training sessions and additional information about each session. To register for a course, you must create an online account. This account will retain records of your registered and completed courses. It will also make registering for future training sessions easier. Once you have created an account, you can log in to access your training records, register for an upcoming training, or manage your account. Please Note: Some training sessions are offered on more than one date, so be sure to check the date(s) of the training before you register.
Current Available Training Sessions
To view more information about a training session, please click on the training session title.
An Informed Approach to Law Enforcement Contact with Youth in South Carolina
Date: 2025-07-18
Time: 9:00am
Description:
As gatekeepers to the justice system, law enforcement officers are the first and most frequent juvenile justice decision-makers to encounter youth on the streets, in malls, in schools, in homes, and other settings. Law enforcement agencies are the primary source of delinquency referrals each year. This training seeks to provide South Carolina law enforcement with vital information that will inform their decision-making process related to the juvenile justice system during their contact with youth. This training will begin with a review of the legal eligibility requirements and limitations of placing a youth in secure detention. This will include a discussion of the decision-making process and what a youth may experience once detained. This training will provide attendees with an overview of adolescent behaviors, adverse childhood experiences, and various trauma-informed practices available to them. The afternoon presenters will share their expertise and knowledge on the use of de-escalation techniques as tools during contact with youth.
Date: 2025-07-14
Time: 8:30am
Description:
Overview. ChildFirst® South Carolina is an intensive five-day course in which students learn the necessary skills to conduct an investigative interview - also known as a forensic interview - of a suspected child abuse victim. This interactive course combines lectures and demonstrations supplemented with homework assignments and a written examination at the end of the course. Participants also must conduct a 30-minute interview of a professional actor playing the role of a sexually abused child after which the interviewer is critiqued by a professional forensic interviewer and a group of fellow students. Completion of this training does not result in any recognized professional “certification” to conduct forensic interviews.
Requirements. This course is designed for investigative teams of law enforcement officers, social workers, prosecutors, child protection attorneys, and forensic interviewers. However, you must meet the basic requirements of any team member:
(1) You must be a South Carolina state professional, unless otherwise approved in writing by Zero Abuse Project and your ChildFirst® state coordinator, AND,
a. You work in a job, through formal professional affiliation with a children’s advocacy center, in which you conduct forensic interviews of suspected child abuse victims, OR
b. You refer children to a children’s advocacy center for forensic interviews as part of a child maltreatment investigation or defend forensic interviews in court. (Most frequently, these professionals are law enforcement officers, DSS attorneys, DSS caseworkers, and prosecutors.) Your participation in this training is focused on understanding the forensic interview process and how it fits into your comprehensive investigation.
(2) You must commit to attending every session. Anyone who misses a session, does not complete the practical exercises, or fails the examination will not be awarded a certificate of course completion.
Emergency Protective Custody: DSS and Law Enforcement Protocol
Date: 2025-06-30
Time: 1:00pm
Description:
This training was developed in an effort to enhance collaboration between DSS and law enforcement to prevent emergency protective custody when children can safely remain in their homes and/or their communities. Data regarding the extent of emergency placements of youth in Richland County and across the state will be presented as well as information on the potential negative impacts of foster care on youth. An explanation of a trauma-responsive system and its importance will be provided. Finally, the training will focus on the legal restrictions and requirements of taking a child into Emergency Protective Custody in South Carolina and the process as it is outlined in the DSS and Law Enforcement Protocol for Richland County.
Lunch will be provided at no cost, courtesy of Annie E. Casey Foundation. Lunch will be available at 12:30 pm.
GAL and CASA Training: Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
Date: 2025-06-20
Time: 9:00 AM
Description: This training, offered exclusively for current guardians and attorneys with the Cass Elias McCarter Guardian ad Litem Program and Richland County CASA, will explore special immigrant juvenile status issues common to unaccompanied youth, along with available legal services. There will be time allowed for questions and discussion to ensure those who complete the training will have enhanced knowledge to better advocate for the children they serve in their respective cases.
Navigating Educational Rights and School Transitions for Children with Disabilities
Date: 2025-07-17
Time: 12:00 pm
Description: This presentation will begin with a review of the responsibilities of the public school system and the rights of children and their caregivers. Ideas for how child welfare professionals can support the educational relationship will be shared. Special attention will be given to considerations and strategies on how to navigate schooling transitions. These transitions include entering foster care, loss of a caregiver, enrolling in a new school, and the predictable transitions such as the start of the school year and school breaks.
Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect Webinar – OPEN SESSION
Date: 2025-06-09
Time: 11:00 AM
Description: This webinar is designed for mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect, and professionals who have frequent contact with children, who play a key role in protecting children by identifying possible maltreatment and reporting it to the agencies responsible for investigation and intervention. Participants will learn to identify mandated reporters according to South Carolina law; describe statutory requirements and protections; identify the role and responsibilities of mandated reporters; recognize signs of possible abuse and neglect; and describe when to make a report of child abuse and neglect.
Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect Webinar – OPEN SESSION
Date: 2025-07-16
Time: 11:00 AM
Description: This webinar is designed for mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect, and professionals who have frequent contact with children, who play a key role in protecting children by identifying possible maltreatment and reporting it to the agencies responsible for investigation and intervention. Participants will learn to identify mandated reporters according to South Carolina law; describe statutory requirements and protections; identify the role and responsibilities of mandated reporters; recognize signs of possible abuse and neglect; and describe when to make a report of child abuse and neglect.
Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect Webinar – OPEN SESSION
Date: 2025-07-07
Time: 11:00 AM
Description: This webinar is designed for mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect, and professionals who have frequent contact with children, who play a key role in protecting children by identifying possible maltreatment and reporting it to the agencies responsible for investigation and intervention. Participants will learn to identify mandated reporters according to South Carolina law; describe statutory requirements and protections; identify the role and responsibilities of mandated reporters; recognize signs of possible abuse and neglect; and describe when to make a report of child abuse and neglect.
Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect Webinar – OPEN SESSION
Date: 2025-08-27
Time: 11:00 AM
Description: This webinar is designed for mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect, and professionals who have frequent contact with children, who play a key role in protecting children by identifying possible maltreatment and reporting it to the agencies responsible for investigation and intervention. Participants will learn to identify mandated reporters according to South Carolina law; describe statutory requirements and protections; identify the role and responsibilities of mandated reporters; recognize signs of possible abuse and neglect; and describe when to make a report of child abuse and neglect.
Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect Webinar – OPEN SESSION
Date: 2025-08-13
Time: 11:00 AM
Description: This webinar is designed for mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect, and professionals who have frequent contact with children, who play a key role in protecting children by identifying possible maltreatment and reporting it to the agencies responsible for investigation and intervention. Participants will learn to identify mandated reporters according to South Carolina law; describe statutory requirements and protections; identify the role and responsibilities of mandated reporters; recognize signs of possible abuse and neglect; and describe when to make a report of child abuse and neglect.
Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect Webinar – OPEN SESSION
Date: 2025-09-17
Time: 11:00 AM
Description: This webinar is designed for mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect, and professionals who have frequent contact with children, who play a key role in protecting children by identifying possible maltreatment and reporting it to the agencies responsible for investigation and intervention. Participants will learn to identify mandated reporters according to South Carolina law; describe statutory requirements and protections; identify the role and responsibilities of mandated reporters; recognize signs of possible abuse and neglect; and describe when to make a report of child abuse and neglect.
Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect Webinar – OPEN SESSION
Date: 2025-09-05
Time: 11:00 AM
Description: This webinar is designed for mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect, and professionals who have frequent contact with children, who play a key role in protecting children by identifying possible maltreatment and reporting it to the agencies responsible for investigation and intervention. Participants will learn to identify mandated reporters according to South Carolina law; describe statutory requirements and protections; identify the role and responsibilities of mandated reporters; recognize signs of possible abuse and neglect; and describe when to make a report of child abuse and neglect.