Illustration by Erika Faye Burke
I was raised to have pride in who I am and stand up for what I believe. Standing up in court to admit that I neglected my children, I felt like everything I knew to be true and right was thrown out the window.
As the judge looked at me and said, “I strongly suggest you plead guilty,” I broke down and cried.
My lawyer put her head down and told … Read More
Child welfare cases are heard in courts because parents and children have legal rights, and the role of lawyers and judges is to protect those rights. But in a typical court case, when one side wins, the other side loses. In child welfare, that’s not the case. When parents lose, children lose. Children and parents both do best when children can safely return home.
With that in mind, the Model Courts project of the National Council … Read More
Illustration by Karolina Zaniesienko
I am a parent advocate at the Center for Family Representation (CFR) in New York City. CFR provides parents in child welfare proceedings a lawyer, social worker, family advocate, and parent advocate to support them.
Parents whose children were removed and put in foster care often feel like they can’t trust anyone. Many parents are victims of childhood abuse or domestic violence; some use drugs to deal with their pain. They’re … Read More
My son is very bright and handsome. But instead of using all his gifts to shine, instead he slumps when he walks. He coasts in school. Hisgrades drop, then he studies a bit to catch up, then again his grades drop because he gets bored.
He is constantly entangled with his teachers, who he says are stupid.
At times, my son’s scorn turns on me, too.
When we first went … Read More
Illustration by Kingslee Gourrick
My daughter had some very serious problems when she started first grade. Kindergarten wasn’t too smooth, either, so on the first day of school this year I was encouraging her, saying, “This year is a new year for you.” I had high hopes.
A Difficult First Day
I dressed my daughter in her uniform—yellow tights with a blue jumper and a long sleeved yellow shirt. But as we approached the school, my … Read More
