Center on Children and the Law

The Center promotes access to justice for children, parents, 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

Legal Service Models for Kin Caregivers

A new resource from the ABA Center on Children and the Law and the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network describes different models of providing legal services to kin and highlights programs across the country doing good work. The report includes replicable ideas for others interested in providing legal assistance to kinship families, whether that looks like informational resources, brief services, or full representation. (4/7/2025)

Kin-Specific Foster Home Approval Standards

Kin-Specific Foster Home Approval Standards are now fully edited, updated, and designed with embedded tools including a Kin Caregiver Assessment - all available free of charge! The ABA Center on Children and the Law, in partnership with other national partners, created these Standards to assist child welfare agencies implement separate, tailored foster home licensing and approval standards for safe placement and licensing of kin caregivers. (2/26/2025)

Survey and Focus Group Analysis of Attorneys Who Represent a Child Welfare Agency

This analysis includes insights into the landscape of resources and support that are available to attorneys who represent the child welfare agency throughout the United States. (3/26/24)

Kin Licensing Implementation Tool

This tool provides five steps to support title IV-E agencies and collaborative partners in the implementation of the federal rule allowing for kin-specific foster care licensing. It includes an overview of federal foster home licensing requirements, how to analyze jurisdictional needs, tips on collaboration, and a guidance on evaluating progress. (1/14/2025)

Report on State Utilization of Title IV-E Funding To Support High-Quality Legal Representation

During the summer of 2024, national organizations partnered to better understand how this opportunity is being leveraged. A voluntary survey was shared broadly with state Court Improvement Programs, child welfare agencies, and legal advocates. We sought to understand how many states have tapped into this resource, their strategies for success, and the challenges they have faced. This report captures the results of that survey and identifies some themes and trends. (1/14/2025)

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. (6/25/24)