Legal Rights

How to advocate for time with your child

Vivek Sankaran, clinical assistant professor of law in the Child Advocacy Law Clinic at the University of Michigan, explains how parents can advocate for the best visits possible.

Q: What right do parents have to visits?A: Every state has different minimum requirements. Most have at least onehour a week. But that’s the minimum, not the maximum parents should see a child.

Visits should start immediately after placement. There’s … Read More

Working with your lawyer to get your children back.

Maxine Ketcher, senior staff attorney at Legal Services for New York City–Bronx, explains how your lawyer can help you get to reunification – and get the services you need to support your family

Q: How do parents know they’re on track to reunification?A: If you’re on track, you should be getting increased visits, especiallyunsupervised visits. If your visitation isn’t increased over a period of six months, even … Read More

What parents need to know about domestic violence and child welfare law

In 1999, New York City’s foster care system removed Sharwline Nicholson’schildren solely because she was a victim of domestic violence. One nightNicholson’s ex-boyfriend showed up at her house and assaulted her when she opened the door. While she was in the hospital, the city’s Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) took her children from a neighbor’s home and charged her with “engaging in domestic … Read More

Parents’ relationships with foster parents affect their cases.

Recent research suggests that children in foster care who are placed with relatives do better than those placed with foster families. According to a study published in the journal Families in Society, children in kinship care endure fewer moves from home to home, are less likely to remain in care long-term (but also less likely to be reunified with their parents), and are less likely to end … Read More