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Prepetition Legal Representation

Legal advocates may represent families, typically parents, in the early stages of a child welfare case before a child is removed from the home and often before an abuse or neglect petition is filed. A form of preventative legal advocacy, prepetition legal representation aims to keep the family together, keep children in the home, and prevent the need for foster care. The ABA Center on Children and the Law, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and the Family Justice Initiative all support prepetition legal representation.

ABA Summary of ACF Final Rule: Foster Care Legal Representation

On May 10th, 2024 the Administration for Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) published the final rule for Foster Care Legal Representation. Read the Center on Children and the Law's summary of that final rule.

Prepetition Legal Representation Webinar

On Wednesday, Sept 23, 2020, the Family Justice Initiative hosted a webinar on prepetition legal representation for parents and youth in the child welfare system. Presenters discussed prepetition representation programs, including funding, getting started, relationship with the child welfare agency as a referral source, best practices and outcomes.

Watch the - webinar

Resources

Prepetition Legal Representation Programs

Learn More

To learn more about prepetition legal representation, contact Jey Rajaraman using this contact form.