Recent news

Traditionally, the world of child welfare has been one that is unpredictable and rather complicated to navigate.  This year has proven to be a challenge, making resources even more scarce due to a pervasive need for support. With so many grabbing at the same bag of resources, it has become crucial to become creative with how to support those we serve.

The next meeting of the Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice Task Force is scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, 2020 from 3-5 p.m., and can be viewed on the Task Force website. The September 30, 2020 meeting will focus on data related to fines, fees, and restitution, as well as youth who are charged as adults. Look for a future blog summarizing what occurs.

Ensuring that children and youth have permanency is one of the core duties of the child welfare system and is vital for the healthy development of the children in their care. While providing permanency is a legal mandate for all children, it is pursued with less urgency, creativity, and resources as youth age, and as a result, young people suffer real harm.

Over the next four months, through a series of online events and blogs, we will look back on our 45 years of advocating for rights, dignity, equity and opportunity for youth in the child welfare and justice systems. Amidst COVID-19 and the racial reckoning underway in our country, it is challenging to celebrate (but we need to do so!) - and critical to reflect.

Over the past 14 years, I have worked to improve government systems for vulnerable children and families. This work is personal to me because I spent part of my childhood in foster care. I know what it’s like to be a small, defenseless child on the other end of a giant, dysfunctional government system.

In 2019, one of Juvenile Law Center’s Youth Advocacy programs, Youth Fostering Change, chose as their policy project older youth permanency. Many of the young people in the group aged out without being connected to family and they had a lot to say about what could have been done to help them find family, including their own relatives and kin.

Advocates in Pa. say there are ways to mitigate the disaster, but officials must act.

Valuing and pursuing kinship care arrangements promotes racial equity and is essential to ensuring permanency for children and youth and their communities.

Juvenile Law Center announced Wednesday the appointment of four new members to the Board of Directors. Khaliah Ali, Daniel Okonkwo, Robert Parker and Eli Segal will join the governing body of the national organization, based in Philadelphia. The center is the country’s first nonprofit public interest law firm for children’s rights.

National children’s rights public interest law firm appoints Khaliah Ali, Daniel Okonkwo, Robert Parker and Eli Segal  

Philadelphia, PA (September 24, 2020): Juvenile Law Center, the nation’s