Children's Law Center, Inc.

Our Mission

The Children’s Law Center exists to protect and enhance the legal rights of children through quality legal representation, research and policy development, and training and education of attorneys and others regarding children’s rights issues. The Center currently provides direct services in Ohio and Kentucky, but collaborates with other organizations within the region and nationally on a variety of topics.

Statement of Beliefs

The Children’s Law Center is a unique organization which was created out of the identified need for increased legal advocacy for children. While the field of children’s advocacy has somewhat expanded since the Center’s inception, we recognize that continued emphasis on why children are different and how their individualized needs should be addressed should serve as the core of our approach to service delivery. Within the core elements of our work, we acknowledge certain key concepts about the systems in which we work:

That there are fundamental developmental differences between youth and adults, and that our systems should promote and utilize adolescent development research to facilitate healthy development and address the needs, characteristics and assets of youth rather than relying upon modalities used for adults.
That we and other service providers and decision makers must respond to young peoples' differences from one another in terms of development, culture, gender, needs and strengths. Interventions and services must be tailored to the needs and assets of individual youth and focused on facilitating positive outcomes. As such, eliminating the unnecessary use of incarceration and out of home care, meeting behavioral health needs, and creating positive strength-based programs for youth are essential.
That representation should be holistic and sensitive to gender, sexual orientation, and ethnic or cultural differences. Meeting the needs of the child irrespective of what “system” they appear within is an important characteristic of service delivery.
That youth in the juvenile justice system are entitled to a just process which ensures due process and equal protection at every stage of the proceeding - from first contact with law enforcement to issues involving incarceration, to parole decisions and parole revocation hearings – and have meaningful access to zealous representation and advocacy to protect these rights.
That in a fair, rational and effective system, factors correlated with the disproportionate contact and incarceration of youth of color are identified and addressed. Youth must be treated equitable across settings regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, geographic origin or economic status.
That all children and youth should have a safe and permanent home, the opportunity to engage with siblings and extended family when possible, and enjoy stability in school, friends and community involvement to the extent possible. When removal from home is necessary, youth should be placed in the least restrictive environment and one which facilitates contact with families and other significant support persons whenever possible and appropriate.
That the importance of education in the lives of children to foster developmental, social, behavioral and academic achievements, and increase the potential for productive employment and career achievement cannot be overestimated. All youth regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, geographic origin or economic status must have access to education programming which provides meaningful benefit.
That the concept of positive behavioral supports and other strength based interventions in schools are desirable and have better outcomes for children rather than harsh disciplinary

Priority Outcomes for Children

1) Youth in the juvenile justice system should receive fair and equitable treatment with due process rights afforded to them at every stage, access to quality representation, and individualized strength-based services provided in the least restrictive environment. As such, the Center strives to eliminate the unnecessary incarceration of children and the creation of more humane and effective alternatives in local communities, and promotes access to effective legal representation throughout the youth’s experience in the system.

2) All children and youth should be afforded a safe, permanent home using a continuum of services and the least restrictive alternative appropriate to meet their needs. As such, the Center strives to ensure that youth in need of protection have access to quality legal representation to ensure their interests are protected throughout the process, and that their express wishes are heard.

3) All children are entitled to obtain a free and appropriate public education. The Center strives to ensure access to education regardless of ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, economic status or disability, and promotes educational programming which is strength based and provides appropriate developmental, social, behavioral and academic supports.

Programs & Services

LEGAL REPRESENTATION

The Children's Law Center provides attorney to represent young people in a variety of legal and administrative proceedings including child abuse and neglect matters, special education and other school issues, homelessness, juvenile justice issues, and "multi-system" cases. The Center’s lawyers are engaged in litigation at the trial court and appellate levels and in both federal and state courts as well as administrative forums.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

The Children’s Law Center works with law students from Salmon P. Chase College of Law, the University of Kentucky Law School, and the University of Cincinnati Law School on fellowships and externships. Additionally, social work and criminal justice students from Northern Kentucky University, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, and Xavier University, along with students from various universities across the nation, have volunteered or completed internships through the Center. Social work students enhance CLC work in a variety of ways, from direct client assistance to coordinate community organizing and education for large scale legislative and policy reform.

Staff and students have produced numerous publications around issues involving the rights of children which are distributed free to judges, attorneys and other professionals working with youth.

RESEARCH AND PUBLIC POLICY DEVELOPMENT

The Children’s Law Center uses research and innovative community-based initiatives to develop sound public policies for children in the legal and social service systems. The Center has been involved in research projects concerning the use of secure detention for juveniles, school crime and violence, and the right to counsel for child victims. Research projects are used as part of a broader effort to promote accountability among government agencies providing services to children.

INFORMATION AND REFERRAL

The Children’s Law Center receives hundreds of calls each year from children seeking clarification of their legal rights, parents requesting referral sources for their children, attorneys requiring technical assistance, and social service providers with questions concerning the rights of their clients. Center staff provides telephone assistance and makes referrals to other attorneys and agencies as appropriate.

SPECIAL PROJECTS

Changing economic and political climates require innovative solutions to problems facing children. The Center continually develops and reviews its programs to ensure that they meet the most prevalent needs of its clients. In addition, the Center has worked with other agencies, both in Kentucky and around the country, to develop and replicate successful projects that have improved the quality of advocacy services for children.