Council For Childrens Rights Inc

COUNCIL FOR CHILDREN'S RIGHTS PROTECTS AND ADVANCES THE LEGAL RIGHTS AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN THROUGH INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTATION, COMMUNITY EDUCATION, AND BY ADDRESSING COMMUNITY-WIDE ISSUES THROUGH SYSTEMS ADVOCACY, RESEARCH, AND POLICY WORK.

CHILDREN'S DEFENSE ADVOCACY - THE COUNCIL SERVES AS THE SPECIALIZED JUVENILE PUBLIC DEFENDER IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY. THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA OFFICE OF INDIGENT DEFENSE SERVICES, WHICH PROVIDES FUNDING FOR ROUGHLY 76% OF THE COST OF THE PROGRAM, THE COUNCIL'S ATTORNEYS REPRESENT ALL CHILDREN CHARGED WITH CRIMES IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY COURT. IN ADDITION TO PERFORMING THE PUBLIC DEFENDER ROLE IN JUVENILE COURT, THE COUNCIL REPRESENTS EVERY CHILD THAT IS FACING CONFINEMENT IN A MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTION. AS EXPRESS INTEREST ATTORNEYS, THE COUNCIL PROVIDES THE VOICE OF THE CHILD AND FIGHTS TO ENSURE THAT THE CHILD'S CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED. THE COUNCIL IS THE ONLY SPECIALIZED JUVENILE PUBLIC DEFENDER IN NORTH CAROLINA.

CUSTODY ADVOCACY - THE COUNCIL SERVES AS THE COURT-APPOINTED BEST INTEREST ATTORNEY TO REPRESENT THE BEST INTERESTS OF CHILDREN WHO ARE CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGH CONFLICT CUSTODY CASES. USING A COMBINATION OF STAFF ATTORNEYS, VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS AND VOLUNTEER CHILD ADVOCATES, THE COUNCIL ENSURES THAT THE CHILD'S VOICE IS HEARD AND THAT THE JUDGE HAS ALL THE NECESSARY INFORMATION TO MAKE A DECISION THAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD. THE COUNCIL RECEIVES CASES THROUGH COURT APPOINTMENT FROM A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE; THIS PROGRAM OPERATES ONLY THROUGH COURT ORDER. THE COUNCIL'S PARTIAL COMPENSATION FOR CUSTODY ADVOCACY SERVICES THROUGH A COURT-ORDERED FEE BASED ON THE INCOME OF THE PARTIES. THE COUNCIL REPRESENTS ONLY THE CHILD - NOT THE COURT OR THE PARENTS.

EDUCATIONAL ADVOCACY - THE COUNCIL'S ATTORNEYS AND ADVOCATES SERVE AS BEST INTEREST ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE IN NEED OF SERVICES. THESE ADVOCATES WORK IN THE COMPLEX AREAS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, MENTAL HEALTH, CHILD WELFARE (ABUSE, NEGLECT AND DEPENDENCY), PUBLIC BENEFITS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING. THE COUNCIL RECEIVES ALMOST ALL OF THESE CASES BY COURT ORDER THROUGH THE DISTRICT COURT, AND OCCASIONALLY THROUGH COMMUNITY REFERRALS FROM CONCERNED PARENTS, GUARDIANS, RELATIVES OR OTHERS WHO CONTACT THE COUNCIL'S OFFICE. THE COUNCIL HELPS CLIENTS NAVIGATE COMPLEX SOCIAL SERVICE SYSTEMS SO THEY CAN RECEIVE APPROPRIATE SERVICES TO MEET THEIR NEEDS. WHEN ADVOCACY OR OTHER INTERVENTION EFFORTS ARE UNSUCCESSFUL, THE COUNCIL CAN USE IMPACT LITIGATION ON BEHALF OF AN INDIVIDUAL CHILD TO ENSURE THAT THE CHILD'S LEGAL RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED. THE COUNCIL SPECIALIZES IN WORKING WITH CHILDREN WHO HAVE COMPLEX NEEDS IN MULTIPLE SOCIAL SERVICES SYSTEMS, WHO ARE AT RISK OF LANGUISHING AND FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS.

SYSTEM ADVOCACY - THE COUNCIL IDENTIFIES GAPS IN SERVICES TO CHILDREN AND PROMOTES IMPROVEMENT IN THOSE SERVICES SO FEWER CHILDREN FALL INTO CRISIS. WE CHAMPION IMPROVEMENT BOTH THROUGH OUR OWN COMMUNICATIONS AND BY ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO JOIN OUR ADVOCACY. THE COUNCIL SEEKS TO INFLUENCE THE LEADERS OF LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS TO ADOPT NEW POLICIES AND TO IMPROVE EXISTING LAWS SO ALL CHILDREN RECEIVE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT SERVICES. THE COUNCIL INFORMS THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW SYSTEMS ARE SUCCEEDING AND WHERE SYSTEMS ARE FAILING TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES OUR CHILDREN NEED TO BE SAFE, HEALTHY, AND EDUCATED. WE ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO JOIN US IN ACTION TO CELEBRATE SUCCESSES AND TO ADVOCATE FOR THE CORRECTION OF FAILURES. RESEARCH IS THE CORE OF THE COUNCIL'S IMPROVEMENT OF SERVICES FOR ALL CHILDREN. OUR RESEARCH WORK DRAWS ON A WEALTH OF INFORMATION TO GUIDE OUR ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BEST PRACTICES FOR HELPING OUR CHILDREN TO BE SAFE, HEALTHY, AND EDUCATED. FIRST, WE CAPTURE AND ANALYZE OUR DIRECT KNOWLEDGE OF THE LEGAL AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS SERVING CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE FIRST-HAND DATA ACCUMULATED FROM MORE THAN 35 YEARS OF STANDING UP FOR CHILDREN. SECOND, WE COLLABORATE WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROBLEMS FACING OUR COMMUNITY'S CHILDREN AND THE SOLUTIONS THAT WORK. FINALLY, WE APPLY RESEARCH FROM OUTSIDE RESOURCES TO CONFIRM IDENTIFIED NEEDS AND TO VALIDATE PROPOSED SOLUTIONS.