Adoption
Foster Parent Rights
Standing with foster parents who need experienced legal advocacy inside the CYFD system.
Foster parents need legal advocacy
Serving as a foster family to a child in need is fulfilling, but it can also be frustrating and intimidating when CYFD makes a decision that is just plain wrong. Foster parents open their homes and their hearts to children in state custody, and they deserve experienced counsel when the system gets in the way.
The right to be part of the treatment team
Foster parents have the right to be members of the treatment team and to provide input on their foster child's service plan. They are uniquely positioned to share what is working, what is not, and what the child actually needs day to day.
The right to be heard in court
“The importance of the foster parent's role is recognized by law.”
The importance of the foster parent's role is recognized by law. Foster parents are entitled to notice of proceedings involving a child in their care and they have a right to be heard. We help foster parents prepare for court and ensure their voice is presented effectively.
When the agency falls short
The reality is that the bureaucracy of a state agency has a long way to go in fully including foster parents. Frustration and resentment build when the system is unresponsive, and foster parents sometimes experience retaliation when they raise concerns. We have extensive experience helping foster parents navigate that environment.
Protecting the child's best interest
Reunification with biological parents is often the goal in CYFD cases, but courts increasingly recognize that there comes a point where reunification is no longer in the child's best interest. We help foster parents make that case when the facts warrant it.
Bonds that deserve protection
“Foster parents and their foster children form bonds that can be psychologically devastating to the child if broken without good reason.”
Foster parents and their foster children form bonds that can be psychologically devastating to the child if broken without good reason. We believe those bonds deserve serious legal consideration, and we fight for their protection when the law allows.