The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Children’s Bureau issues guidance to courts, attorneys and child welfare agencies during the COVID-19 public health crisis.
CB urges courts to refrain from making sweeping blanket orders ceasing, suspending, or postponing court hearings and reducing or suspending family visitation. Read the letter here.
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…
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…
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 –…
Hear from Family Voices United about the importance of legal representation for families
Listen to the podcast here. Read the companion paper here.
Indigent parent representation to be provided in six north Mississippi counties
Daily Journal – October 08, 2019 Six northeast Mississippi counties are now providing legal representation to some parents during youth court proceedings. The counties – Alcorn, Itawamba, Lee, Pontotoc, Tishomingo and Union – and the state are splitting the costs to hire five attorneys to represent indigent parents in abuse and neglect proceedings in youth…
Midland County child advocate attorneys receive raise
KOSA – October 15, 2019 Attorneys advocating for children in child protective services will soon be paid more, thanks to an item approved by Midland County Commissioner Monday morning. The attorneys are paid around $100 an hour by the county to advocate in court for families whose children recently were placed in the foster care…
Chronicle of Philanthropy: This 23-Year-Old’s Newborn Was Taken by the Government. Here’s How She Got Her Back.
A recent article by the Chronicle of Philanthropy quotes FJI Executive Team Member, Mimi Laver and Michele Cortese Executive Director of the Center for Family Representation regarding parent representation. Read the article here.
Congrats to East Bay Family Defenders
The FJI Team is happy to learn that East Bay Family Defenders will be recognized by state Senator Bob Wieckowski during his “State of the 10th Senate District Address and Awards” Ceremony. EBFD is one of eleven honorees selected throughout the 10th Senate District. We are thrilled that EBFD is being recognized for their great…