The Family Justice Initiative is a national collaborative of children’s attorneys, parents’ attorneys, educators, researchers, and national policy advocates who share a common goal: to increase access to high-quality legal representation for children and parents in child welfare cases. It’s led by the ABA Center on Children and the Law, the Children’s Law Center of California, and the Center for Family Representation.
Partnering for Families
We are a national initiative working to improve legal representation for families across the United States.
Our Founders
American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, Casey Family Programs, Center for Family Representation, and Children's Law Center of California
Learn MoreRecent News and Resources
Read recent news articles, research, and resources.
Bumpy Ride in Wyoming for Bills to Create Parent and Child Representation Offices
Chronicle of Social Change – February 14, 2020 Just days into Wyoming’s legislative session, bills to expand legal counsel to children and parents in child welfare court were killed by a lack of support. But half of the package has already been raised from the dead. House Bill (HB) 18 would have moved child representation…
Quality Legal Representation
High-quality legal representation for parents and children in child welfare proceedings has many benefits, including increased parental engagement, more frequent visitation, and better access to services. Most importantly, quality legal representation for families has been shown to reduce the length of time children must spend in foster care — and in some cases, prevent family…
Top Stories of 2019 from The Chronicle
Chronicle of Social Change – December 25, 2019 At the dawn of 2019, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services opened up federal spending for the first time to support legal fees for parents involved in child welfare cases. And in the spring, a long-awaited study linked the use of interdisciplinary law offices –…