The Council for Children’s Rights is the largest and most comprehensive child advocacy organization in the southeast. Our mission is to lead our community to stand up for every child’s right to be safe, healthy, and educated. We provide advocacy and legal representation for individual children, and effect community-level change on behalf of all children.
Our work is divided between our individual representation teams and our systems advocacy through the Larry King Center for Building Children’s Futures.
- Our Custody Advocacy Program represents the best interests children caught in the midst of high-conflict custody disputes. This program leverages over 300 volunteers and pro-bono attorneys to serve the growing numbers of children experiencing family upheaval.
- Our Children’s Defense Program represents children in the juvenile justice system or facing commitment to a mental health facility. This program works with children to provide holistic intervention, address the root issues that brought the child into contact with the law, and prevent recidivism.
- Our Individual Advocacy Program advocates for children in the areas of special education, abuse/neglect, domestic violence, school discipline, mental health, and access to healthcare. This program also works with community leaders to address key issues that impact many of our child clients at once, either through community advocacy or impact litigation.
- Larry King Center for Building Children’s Futures (LKC) is the research and policy arm of the Council for Children’s Rights. The LKC improves child-serving systems by working to increase the use of researched and evidence-based practices, and engaging citizens and community leaders to impact public policy. The LKC’s initial priorities include:
- Improving school readiness of all children
- Reducing the incidence and impact of child abuse and neglect
- Increasing access to quality health and mental health care
The Larry King Center is a resource for the community at a strategic level - maximizing the effectiveness and impact of work being done for children by private providers, public agencies and funders.
