We offer trainings throughout the year on various topics related to children's law and child well-being. All of our programs are developed by former practitioners with years of experience and expertise in the topic area and are designed to ensure you get the most out of your training experience. Please check back for updates - trainings are added throughout the year.
This 2-hour webinar is designed for professionals who have already completed the Children’s Law Center’s Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect Training and would like to gain further knowledge related to mandated reporting.
This is a 3-part, virtual training, for DSS investigators, law enforcement officers, coroners and/or deputy coroners, that focuses on the basics of child death investigations. This training will be broken up into 3, 2-hour blocks and offered on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule.
This training will be offered online, through GoTo Trainer, from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm.
Part I:
March 8, 2021
April 12, 2021
June 7, 2021
This is a 3-part, virtual training, for DSS investigators, law enforcement officers, coroners and/or deputy coroners, that focuses on the basics of child death investigations. This training will be broken up into 3, 2-hour blocks and offered on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule.
This training will be offered online, through GoTo Trainer, from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm.
Complete Part I before taking Part II.
Part II Dates:
March 10, 2021
April 14, 2021
June 9, 2021
This is a 3-part, virtual training, for DSS investigators, law enforcement officers, coroners and/or deputy coroners, that focuses on the basics of child death investigations. This training will be broken up into 3, 2-hour blocks and offered on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule.
This training will be offered online, through GoTo Trainer, from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm.
Complete Parts I and II before taking Part III.
Part III Dates:
February 5, 2021
March 12, 2021
April 16, 2021
June 11, 2021
This registration is not for DSS staff. If you work for DSS, please register under ChildFirst® South Carolina for DSS Employees.
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 state professional “certification” to conduct forensic interviews.
ChildFirst® South Carolina (FOR DSS EMPLOYEES) 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 state professional “certification” to conduct forensic interviews.
This two-part virtual training for DSS investigators and law enforcement officers focuses on the basics of child physical abuse and neglect investigations with an emphasis on multidisciplinary coordination.
Part I Dates:
February 16, 2021
March 23, 2021
May 4, 2021
June 8, 2021
This two-part virtual training for DSS investigators and law enforcement officers focuses on the basics of child physical abuse and neglect investigations with an emphasis on multidisciplinary coordination.
It is recommended that you complete Part I before taking Part II.
Part II Dates:
February 18, 2021
March 25, 2021
May 6, 2021
June 10, 2021
This two-part virtual training for DSS investigators and law enforcement officers focuses on the basics of child sexual abuse investigations with an emphasis on multidisciplinary coordination. Part I of the training will address the roles and function of the multidisciplinary team (MDT); dynamics of child sexual abuse; and legal issues, including statutory definitions, related criminal statutes, and admissibility of child hearsay in child sexual abuse cases.
You are not required to attend both parts of the training in the same week, but you must complete Part I before attending Part II.
Part I Dates:
April 13, 2021
April 20, 2021
May 18, 2021
June 15, 2021
This two-part virtual training for DSS investigators and law enforcement officers focuses on the basics of child sexual abuse investigations with an emphasis on multidisciplinary coordination. Part II will focus on interviewing techniques and methods and strategies for corroborating a child’s disclosure of abuse.
You are not required to attend both parts of the training in the same week, but you must complete Part I before attending Part II.
Part II Dates:
April 15, 2021
April 22, 2021
May 20, 2021
June 17, 2021
This recorded webinar is offered exclusively to DSS and GAL attorneys to enhance courtroom skills related to the presentation of child testimony in family court.
Part 1: Stress, Trauma, & Recantation; Courtroom Preparation
Part 2: Pretrial Motions & Closed-circuit Television; Proper Questioning and Techniques
This recorded webinar is a multidisciplinary training designed for professionals who may have contact with potentially abused or neglected children with communication barriers. This includes children with autism, speech impairments, intellectual disabilities, visual impairments or blindness, and trauma- induced communication barriers; and children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The training will provide participants with a basic overview of these disabilities, communication challenges that may be encountered, and strategies to effectively communicate with these children. Part 1 will address children with autism, speech impairments, and intellectual disabilities. Part 2 will address children with a visual impairment or blindness, children who are deaf or hard of hearing, and children with trauma-induced communication barriers
This two-part webinar series for law enforcement officers and prosecutors focuses on identifying and responding to child sex trafficking in South Carolina. This webinar will be offered in two parts, over the course of two days. Part I will provide an overview of the SC child sex trafficking law, the prevalence of child sex trafficking, the importance of law enforcement in identifying and responding to child sex trafficking, child victims and children at risk of sex trafficking, trafficker tactics, trauma and the effects on victims , and how to collaborate with local children’s advocacy centers. Part II will introduce tips for interacting with victims during investigation, interviewing suspects, internet investigation tools, and evidence collection. Participants will also receive a Child Sex Trafficking Law Enforcement Tool Kit with screening tools, evidence collection and interview tools, and a local contact list of SC resource professionals to help respond to child sex trafficking.
Part I: March 17, 2021 (12:30 pm - 4:00 pm)
Part II: March 18, 2021 (12:30 pm - 4:00 pm)
This training will provide DSS, OID, and GAL attorneys and DSS and GAL staff with on overview of the background and use of the Pre-Merits Hearing Conference (PMHC) protocol and procedures being added into the practice of DSS foster care cases in the South Carolina family court system. The goal of the PMHC is to expedite the completion of merits hearings and the possible return of children in foster care to their families. Attendees will be able to: 1) recognize that children in foster care have poorer outcomes than children who remain in their home or in the home of a kinship care provider, 2) differentiate between safety concerns that prevent a child from remaining in their home versus risk concerns for a child, 3) understand the purpose of the Pre-Merits Conference, and 4) demonstrate the ability to conduct a PMHC.
Dates and Designated Counties:
February 12, 2021: Upstate Counties
March 12, 2021: Midlands Counties
April 16, 2021: Pee Dee Counties
May 14, 2021: Low Country Counties
This is a live webinar, designed for mandated reporters and professionals who have frequent contact with children. This webinar is being offered to anyone wishing to attend on the following dates:
March 9, 2021 (5:00 pm - 6:00 pm)
March 15, 2021 (5:00 pm - 6:00 pm)
March 22, 2021 (5:00 pm - 6:00 pm)
April 5, 2021 (5:00 pm - 6:00 pm)
April 12, 2021 (5:00 pm - 6:00 pm)
April 19, 2021 (5:00 pm - 6:00 pm)
April 26, 2021 (5:00 pm - 6:00 pm)
This live webinar for mandated reporters and professionals who have frequent contact with children is being offered to organizations upon request.
This interactive online training is designed to equip mandated reporters with information regarding their role and responsibilities as mandated reporters and to increase their awareness, knowledge, and skills in reporting child abuse and neglect.
This interactive online training is designed to equip mandated reporters during the pandemic with information regarding their role and responsibilities as mandated reporters.
This online training provides an overview of the SCDSS intake process and updates on making reports of child abuse and neglect.