$1,578 raised by 12 donors
16% complete
$10,000 Goal
Texas Lawyers for Children ("TLC"), the Child Protection Connection for Texas, protects abused and neglected children from being harmed in foster care by advocating for these children and by providing training and information to support judges and attorneys in their efforts to keep these children safe and heal their trauma. By assisting over 3,800 Texas judges and attorneys, who make life-changing decisions for over 100,000 abused and neglected children, TLC makes far-reaching, statewide positive change for children.
A federal judge has determined that children in the Texas foster care system often leave "more damaged" than when they entered. Former foster youth and attorneys who serve children currently in foster care agree that these children need well-trained advocates to keep them safe, not just physically safe, but also safe from being:
--abused or neglected while in foster care
--misdiagnosed with a mental illness they don't have
--prescribed harmful psychotropic medications they don't need and that make them feel worse
--kicked from foster home to foster home
--kept in a lockdown psychiatric facility because there isn't a foster home available.
Without effective advocacy, life outcomes for foster children can be abysmal, as many leave the system only to be trafficked, homeless, arrested, or dead.
While there are a lot of non-profit organizations that make a big difference in many lives, TLC is unique because we can make a big difference in tens of thousands of lives - the lives of the most vulnerable Texas children. TLC targets where we can have the greatest impact - the legal system, where the most important decisions about an abused child's life are made. If we impact one judge, that judge will likely have 1,000 children or more on his or her docket. If we provide one training where 500 judges and attorneys learn about a new way to prevent harm and provide healing for a child, we can impact the lives of 80,000 children in foster care, as data from our trainings has shown. TLC also advocates for change to make the foster care system better for all abused and neglected children. If we use our network of over 3,800 judges and attorneys to support one helpful bill in the legislature or fight against one harmful one, we protect every child in foster care. And you can too -- join us to do the MOST good!
The mission of Texas Lawyers for Children - "TLC" - is to improve case outcomes for abused and neglected children by enhancing the quality of legal services they receive, by raising public awareness, and by facilitating improvement in systems that serve children and families. The most important decisions about an abused and neglected child's future are made in court. TLC exists to help ensure that those decisions are the best possible for the child and lead to healing, instead of harm, while children are in the Texas foster care system
Texas Lawyers for Children needs funding to:
Protect the legal rights of abused & neglected children by recruiting and training lawyers to be effective advocates for these children, and by providing critical resources through an innovative Online Center about the unique needs of abused & neglected children.
Help children in foster care beat the odds and graduate from high school by recruiting, training, and supervising Education Advocates, who are volunteer attorneys appointed to advocate on behalf of a child facing educational obstacles and ensure that decision makers in the child's life are addressing the child's needs.
Equip judges & attorneys with resources and training to use their position and power to enforce laws and policies aimed at protecting abused and neglected children from further harm.
Reform the foster care system by speaking out on behalf of children in foster care, increasing protective measures for these children, and closing any gaps in law or policy that have caused children harm.
While donated funds may be used for any purpose that furthers our mission and work, below are some examples of how our vast network & innovative technology can maximize your contribution for the benefit of the children we serve:
1) $50 can help abused & neglected children by providing 1 hour of legal research that can be accessed by over 3,800 Texas judges and attorneys.
2) $100 can help a foster child find success at school and beat the statistic that only 50% of foster children graduate from high school by providing online training for an Education Advocate.
3) $250 can help between 25-90 children each year have effective legal representation because that is the amount of agency resources we invest to equip and connect 1 court-appointed attorney for a year. (Attorneys estimate they represent between 25-90 children each year.)
4) $500 can keep the children's attorneys up-to-date by video recording a training presentation and making it available online statewide.
5) $1000 can change policy and practice in an entire county for the benefit of children in foster by allowing TLC's attorneys to prepare and present a training program to judges & attorneys. (At the end of our training, judges have changed court practice for the benefit of the children in the entire county.)
6) $2500 can positively impact 65,000+ confirmed child victims of abuse or neglect, allowing us to research and draft a legislative memorandum and to testify in front of the Texas Legislature regarding laws that are helpful or harmful to children.
No child deserves to undergo the trauma of abuse, neglect, or a childhood spent in the foster care system, and it is our privilege to stand up and fight for these children regardless of gender, race, income level, or sexual orientation. All children deserve a safe childhood.
Organization name
TEXAS LAWYERS FOR CHILDREN
Causes
Youth & Children
Operating Budget
$500,000 - $999,999
Counties Served
Grayson, Wise, Tarrant, Somervell, Rockwall, Parker, Palo Pinto, Navarro, Montague, Kaufman, Johnson, Hunt, Hood, Fannin, Erath, Ellis, Denton, Dallas, Cooke, Collin
BIPOC Serving
Other, Native American, Hispanic or Latinx, Asian/Pacific Islander, Black or African American
BIPOC Leadership
Board Chair
Address
8330 LBJ Freeway Suite 480