Lawyers for Children, Inc.

Individual Representation: Lawyers For Children represents approximately 4,000 children each year in foster care review, abuse, neglect, termination of parental rights, adoption, custody and visitation proceedings in New York State Family Court.

Child Sexual Abuse Evaluation and Education Project: Helping children in foster care to protect themselves from sexual abuse and re-victimization through a comprehensive program of education and advocacy.

Impact Litigation: Lawyers For Children initiates, monitors and coordinates advocacy and educational strategies necessary to effectuate positive systemic reform efforts on behalf of children in foster care in the five boroughs of New York City. These reform efforts also include advocacy in family court proceedings, legislative analysis and reform, individual appeals, impact litigation, and community, institutional, and judicial education.

Special Project on Behalf of Adolescents Confronting Transition (ACT) out of Foster Care: This project provides legal and social work services to a critically under-served population in foster care ? adolescents in and aging out of foster homes and congregate care (residential treatment facilities, residential treatment centers, and group homes). This project focuses assisting adolescents in foster care in accessing the community-based support they need to succeed as independent adults, by breaking the cycle of poverty, homelessness and violence in their families.

Special Project for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Youth in Foster Care: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender ("GLBT") young people in foster care must contend with their own unique issues, challenges, and adversities, in addition to those faced by all children in foster care. LFC launched this special project in 2000, to work with self-identifying GLBT youth in foster care to address many of these issues through direct advocacy, coalition building, and the creation of much needed resources, such as a legal rights handbook and a comprehensive resource guide.

Immigration Rights Project for Children in Foster Care: The Immigration Rights Project uses a special provision in the Immigration and Naturalization Act, the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) Statute, that entitles children who are in foster care due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment to obtain green cards.

Special Project on Behalf of Children in Foster Care Exposed to Domestic Violence: In November of 2002, LFC launched a project to provide specialized and comprehensive legal services to children in foster care who have been exposed to domestic violence.

Groundbreaking Rights Handbooks for Children in Foster Care: Including "Your Rights in Foster Care," our three-volume legal rights handbook for children in foster care, and "You Are Not Alone," our first-of-its-kind handbook for children who have been sexually abused and their caretakers.

Child-Centered Visitation Center: Addressing the critical shortage of spaces where children can safely meet with members of their family, and meet privately with their LFC attorneys and social workers.

www.lawyersforchildren.com: LFC's website makes important information available and accessible to young people, and enhances the ability of our attorneys and social workers to communicate quickly and effectively with our clients and the network of people and institutions that can assist us in providing the highest level of legal advocacy and social work services to children in foster care.