Our lawyers give a voice to those who may not otherwise be heard by providing the highest quality legal help to our clients, especially children, who are among the most vulnerable in our community.
We help children get access to healthcare and other treatment, overcome educational barriers, and gain foster care and adult caregiving representation.
Legal Aid Society is dedicated to protecting the rights of children and improving their lives through the following services:
Children’s Healthcare Advocacy Project
We provide direct and co-representation as well as systemic advocacy to promote access to healthcare by overcoming obstacles in the rapidly changing and complex Medicaid programs to ensure foster children receive necessary health benefits.
Project DULCE (Developmental Understanding and Legal Collaboration for Everyone)
DULCE provides support to newborns and their families during the precious and critical first 6 months of life. DULCE consists of an Interdisciplinary Team -a Family Specialist trained in child development, a pediatrician, a legal partner, a mental health representative, and an early childhood systems representative. The Family Specialist attends well-child visits with the families. They get to know the families, provide support, and connect families to resources. In so doing, the families’ stress is reduced, the family is healthier, and they have more time and energy to bond and care for their new child. The Family Specialist works closely with each family to make sure the child’s growth is on track, and connects families to support and resources as needed. Families have free access to an attorney who can help with the family’s legal needs. DULCE also assists with concrete needs like baby supplies and transportation to medical appointments.
DULCE is an initiative of CSSP (Center for the Study of Social Policy) and is made possible with funding from CSC (Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County).
We invite you to view a brief 1-minute video about DULCE:
Education Advocacy Project
Our lawyers provide advocacy and legal services to overcome barriers to public education for school-age children, focusing on:
• Assisting children who have difficulty enrolling in school
• Assuring that evaluations are provided to students who are in need of assessment to determine whether they are students with disabilities
• Procuring additional services for students with disabilities who currently receive special education services, but continue to have academic, social, emotional or behavioral problems
• Ensuring that students who have been removed from school involuntarily are readmitted to school
• Enforcing the right to a free public education for homeless children and foster children under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
Our program also provides speakers to train parents and community organizations on students’ legal rights under federal and state education laws. In partnership with the Palm Beach County School District and the Legal Aid Society’s Pro Bono Project, we train volunteer attorneys who provide free legal representation to children who are facing expulsion from the school system. To reach the Education Advocacy Project please call the Intake Hotline at 561-655-8944 ext. 285.
Foster Children Project
We provide each child in the foster care system — between birth and age 12, and their siblings — an attorney to represent them in all court matters and to advocate for them to achieve permanence within 12 months.
Juvenile Advocacy Project
We represent children through age 18 in Juvenile Court, Family Court and Probate Court. In addition, representation is provided before the School Board of Palm Beach County and the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). The majority of children served are emotionally, developmentally or physically challenged. Our goal is to access appropriate treatment and/or placement for these children.
Relative Caregivers Project
We provide legal advice and representation to adult caregivers who are caretakers for relative minor children (grandchildren, nephews, nieces). Our services are designed to assist with the unique legal problems faced by relative caregivers raising minor children such as temporary legal custody, adoption, guardian advocacy, access to public benefits and health care, housing and children’s educational needs.
CONTACT US
If you are in need of any of these services, please call 561-655-8944 or toll free at 1-800-403-9353.
Our services rely on support from the community. Please donate here.
We are always in need of more lawyers through our Pro Bono Program. Please click here to learn more.
