Pelican Center ​Overview

​The Pelican Center for Children & Families is a Louisiana non-profit organization dedicated to improving outcomes for Louisiana's children & families.

The Pelican Center's focus is on the intensive coordinated interdisciplinary training and education of child welfare practitioners, children's and indigent parents' attorneys, judges, child protection staff, CASAs, foster parents, district and child welfare agency attorneys and others.

Over time the Pelican Center will be involved with each of the following major Court Improvement Program (CIP) areas of work:

• Data Projects;
• Improving the quality of legal representation for children and indigent parents;
• Improving the quality of hearings, especially through greater participation by children and foster parents;
• Overseeing projects and approaches to improve child well-being outcomes;
• Improving ICWA compliance;
• Ensuring CIP Participation in the federal child welfare system review process;
• Encouraging efforts related to continuous quality improvement (CQI) of global child welfare outcomes

Improving Global Outcomes for Children:
Safety, Permanency, Child & Family Well-being
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• Children are first and foremost, protected from abuse and neglect.
• Children are safely maintained in their homes whenever possible and appropriate.
• Children have permanency and stability in their living situations.
• The continuity of family relationships and connections is preserved for children.
• Families have enhanced capacity to provide for their children's needs.
• Children receive appropriate services to meet their educational needs.
• Children receive adequate services to meet their physical and mental health needs.

Meaningful, On-going Collaboration

• Regular meetings of stakeholders
• Joint initiatives aimed at improved outcomes
• Evidence-based best-practice information dissemination

Training

• Online and in-person
• CLARO online resources and free CLE approved training
• CLE and Interdisciplinary Training
• The 23rd Annual "Together We Can" Conference is scheduled for October 27-29, 2025
• University Alliance Partnership at Louisiana Child Welfare Training Academy​

Data Collection and Analysis

• CLARO website is  www.clarola.org (Children's Law Advocacy Resources Online)
• Integrated Juvenile Justice Information System
• Model Court
• Federal Child & Family Services Review

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The CIP CAFE Lunch & Learn Series

Each month the Louisiana Court Improvement Program (CIP) through the Pelican Center for Children and Families hosts an online lunchtime educational session. The topics presented are of interest to a wide range of child welfare practitioners. The sessions are one hour in length and approved for both CLE and CEU hours. The sessions are free and available to the public. You need to pre-register to receive the zoom link via email.

​More information

Click to sign up!

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Motion Practice Toolkit

Louisiana Child In Need of care Benchbook for Juvenile Judges
(Updated Documents 8/22/2024)

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Donate today

Please consider making a donation to help support the efforts of the Pelican Center. The Pelican Center is an IRS approved 501(c)3 charitable organization. Your donation will be tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. 

Donate Now

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