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.

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Center News

Building a Trauma-Informed Court in Memphis, TN

In this CLP Today article, Judge Dan Michael shares how he and his staff transformed the Memphis and Shelby County Juvenile Court and adopted practices that were sensitive to child and family trauma. 4/6/21

Supporting School Stability for Children in Foster Care during COVID-19 and Beyond

This judge's action alert, developed with the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, highlights judges' roles in supporting school stability for children in foster care. It explores strategies to help these children stay on track in school during the Covid-19 pandemic. (3/2/21)

Prenatal Substance Exposure Case Law Briefs

Two new briefs analyze appellate court decisions addressing prenatal substance exposure and key legal issues that arise for legal practitioners who represent clients in civil child protection cases and child welfare professionals who serve mothers and families. (1/27/21)

Select Survey Findings: Legal Response to COVID-19

This one-page overview shares select findings from the Center's survey of legal professionals about the response to COVID-19 induced legal challenges across the country. (1/21/21)

Uprooted and Traumatized: Avoiding Unnecessary Removals

Judge Ernestine Gray discusses how to mitigate harm to children who face removal from their homes during child welfare system involvement in this new CIP Talk. (1/6/21)

The Case for a Centralized Office for Legal Representation in Child Welfare Cases

Legal representation of children and parents is strengthened when there is a centralized office that offers attorneys support and oversight to ensure consistent representation across a jurisdiction. This new CLP Today article reviews benefits of centralized legal offices and key elements of successful programs, and shares several existing models. (12/2/20)

Supporting Early Legal Advocacy before Court Involvement in Child Welfare Cases

This judicial action alert highlights the reasons for providing legal advocacy early in a child welfare case before court involvement. It explains legal advocates' roles, benefits of this advocacy, how it supports judges’ roles, how judges can support it, and how communities are using it in child welfare cases. (2/25/21)

Trauma Exposure Response: A Resource for Child Welfare Attorneys

This guide defines trauma exposure response, explains how it affects child welfare attorneys, provides strategies for identifying and addressing it, and shares resources. (2/3/21)

Family First Prevention Services Act: Implementing the Provisions that Support Kinship Families Checklist

This user-friendly tool is designed to address the federal requirements of the Family First Act and describe the necessary steps for effective implementation of the kinship provisions. (1/22/21)

The Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018: A Guide for the Legal Community

This new resource helps child law practitioners understand key provisions of the Family First Act, how to use the Act in legal advocacy and judicial decision making, and implementation strategies to better serve children and families. (1/10/20)

Redefining Judicial Leadership: Stories of Transformative Practice

This new publication highlights the transformative work of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Courts' Implementation Courts and lead judges. It takes an inside look at reforms and innovative practices these courts are making to better serve children and families in a variety of areas. (12/16/20)

Recent Center News & Resources

Access previously published Center news.

New Kinship Brief on FFPSA and Title IV-E GAP

This new brief by the Grandfamilies Project highlights provisions in the Family First Prevention Services Act related to kinship families and federal Title IV-E GAP (GAP). It suggests how states and eligible tribes can build on these provisions to promote use of assisted guardianship for children in kinship foster care.