Child Welfare Law Information Hotline

The only free telephone hotline providing child welfare law information for anyone concerned about a child in foster care in California. Advokids provides callers with information and assistance with understanding and navigating the child welfare system and the juvenile court dependency system. The hotline is open daily, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We are closed for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. We are also closed on all major holidays.

The Advokids Telephone Hotline: 1.877.ADV4KID.

 

Children's Attorney Consultation Line

A dedicated telephone hotline for children's attorneys to assist with identifying persuasive legal arguments and strategies for promoting the child’s best interests and improving outcomes for foster children. Attorney Consultation Line: 415.924.0587.  Children’s Attorney consultation contact form.

 

Child Welfare Case Law Updates: 1991-2020

Find all the case law you need to address a particular issue in one place! Jan Sherwood has been summarizing juvenile dependency case law since 1991, the year California’s current dependency system went into effect. The summaries are now available electronically for you to download for easy access. They are searchable and organized by subject matter (e.g., all section 300(a) cases together; all cases concerning placement and visitation together, etc.) making it easier to find the case law that discusses the issues you are seeking to address. Get your copy now. (Searchable pdf format. 20 Chapters. 1600+ pages. Click here to see Table of Contents.)

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Child Welfare Legal Resources Website

A comprehensive, interactive, and easy to navigate website for the general community and child welfare professionals, providing relevant and dynamic information about juvenile dependency law, the child welfare system, early childhood mental health, and ways to support and help Advokids improve the lives of children in foster care in California.
Child Welfare Legal Tools.

 

Statewide Trainings and Conferences

Dynamic, cutting edge trainings for attorneys, social workers, mental health professionals, CASA volunteers, relatives and caregivers to improve the standards of representation in juvenile dependency court, increase the understanding of local rules, state regulations and state and federal laws governing child welfare cases, and encourage "child centered" legal advocacy. Training Opportunities.

Statewide Child Welfare Reform

Advokids' telephone hotline and legal trainings throughout the state inform our impact litigation, legislative proposals, and policy work. The data that we gather and analyze from our constituents in California counties allows us to identify trends and systemic problems at the state and local levels and propose solutions and pro-active reform on behalf of all children in foster care.

 

Appellate and Amicus Project

Advokids' staff attorneys and pro bono attorneys provide assistance in preparing appellate briefs and amicus curiae (friend-of-the-court) briefs in selected cases where our legal staff has identified a question of law that is critical to protecting the health, safety or well-being of foster children in California. Appeals and amicus briefs provide important safeguards for children under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court and serve as powerful catalysts for systemic change.

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