Mission statement

Children's Law Center, Inc. (CLC) is a nonprofit legal service center that protects the rights of children and youth — so they can grow up in safe, healthy ways. We achieve our mission through direct legal assistance, policy reform, community education, and information & referral.

Established in 1989, CLC offers vital advocacy in the child welfare system, justice system, education system, and beyond. CLC provides services in Kentucky and Ohio, while collaborating with regional and national organizations on youth law and policy.

Priority Outcomes for Children

Four young kids playing with bubbles on grass.

  1. All children are entitled to obtain a free and appropriate public education. CLC strives to ensure access to education, regardless of ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, or disability, and promotes appropriate developmental, social, behavioral, and academic supports.

  2. All children and youth should be afforded safety, including stable housing, using a continuum of services. CLC strives to ensure that youth in need of protection have access to quality legal representation to ensure their interests are protected throughout legal processes, and that their express wishes are heard.

  3. Youth in the juvenile justice system should receive fair, equitable treatment, with due process rights and access to effective legal representation afforded to them at every stage. CLC strives to eliminate the unnecessary incarceration of children and promotes humane, effective alternatives. CLC works to ensure that children are not criminalized for being victims of crime, such as human trafficking. CLC also works to create safer, smarter relationships between law enforcement and youth.