Family
Jul. 28, 2026
A new approach to fighting child exploitation
DREAM Court's trauma-informed, collaborative approach brings together courts, attorneys, social workers and community partners to support children affected by commercial sexual exploitation and help families find safety, healing and long-term stability.
Shelly Caterino
Shelly Caterino represents parents in juvenile dependency proceedings and has extensive experience in specialty courtrooms, including DREAM Court. Beyond litigation, she has advocated for policy reforms affecting DREAM Court and the county's dependency drug court. She serves on local and statewide committees, including the Judicial Council's Advisory Committee on Providing Access and Fairness. Caterino began her legal career representing clients in consumer protection, mass tort and class action matters.
Maria Blanco
Maria Blanco serves as deputy county counsel for Los Angeles County, representing the Department of Children and Family Services in DREAM Court. Her practice incorporates trauma-informed approaches aimed at protecting the rights of vulnerable youth involved in commercial sexual exploitation cases. Previously, she represented parents in child welfare matters, including specialized work involving the Indian Child Welfare Act, ensuring compliance with tribal law and protecting family integrity.
California has made great strides in addressing commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC), not only implementing programs to support children who have been exploited but changing how we think and talk about this complex issue.
In 2014, with SB 855, the California legislature changed how the child welfare system handles CSEC. The law amended the Welfare and Institutions Code to allow the court to take jurisdiction when parents are unable to protect their children from exploi...
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