Center on Children and the Law

The Center promotes access to justice for children and families. Our team of attorneys and core staff work on a diverse portfolio of national, regional and local projects in the children’s law field throughout the country. Center projects are unified by two complementary goals: improving legal representation and improving the legal systems that impact children and families.

Center News

Life & Legacy of Justice Stevens

Center Director Prudence Beidler Carr reflects on the passing of Justice Stevens and his legacy for the child welfare legal community.

National Reunification Month

National Reunification Month, celebrated in June, was a success. Read about our 2019 reunification heroes, events and resources on keeping families together.

Read Nicole Johnson's summary of the recent Iowa Supreme Court decision holding that an incarcerated parent has a constitutional due process right to participate in the entire termination of parental rights (TPR) hearing and the trial court has a responsibility to ensure the parent can respond to the state’s evidence.

Legal Community Roles Implementing the Family First Prevention Services Act

The Center has drafted a short summary of different legal audiences whose engagement will be critical to ensuring successful implementation of the federal Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) across the country.

High-Quality Legal Representation is Critical to Creating a Better Child Welfare System

This new CLP Today article by David Kelly and Jerry Milner of the U.S. Children's Bureau explains the importance of quality legal in preventing child maltreatment and reducing family separation and foster care.

New Parent Representation Study

A recent study of parent representation models in New York City found providing parents multidisciplinary representation reduced the time children spend in foster care. Check Martin Guggenheim's and Susan Jacobs's CLP Today article on the practical significance of the study.

Grandfamilies Brief

This new brief highlights the role of grandfamilies in caring for children. It explains grandfamilies' strengths, challenges, needs, and trending issues.