Ensuring Children's Rights

The Children's Trust Fund provides funding support to the Children's Law Center, which offers legal assistance - including representation, a legal information resource and mediation and education services - to children and parents involved in visitation or custody disputes.

Legal Representation Program

The Law Center's Legal Representation Program provides court-appointed attorneys to indigent children involved in high-conflict custody and visitation cases. In 70 percent of these cases, at least one parent is representing him or herself, which can lead to frustration and tension that makes parental conflict worse. The cases are often further exacerbated by risk factors, such as mental illness, child abuse or neglect, substance abuse, domestic violence and/or chronic conflict.

Of the cases closed in 2006, more than a quarter had chronic police and court involvement, and in slightly less than half, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) became involved at some point.

The Legal Representation Program operates in four judicial districts and serves a total of 52 towns and cities in Connecticut.

Children's Law Line

For those with family law questions or concerns about a child, the Children's Law Line is an easily accessible, statewide resource providing legal information to callers regarding child support, custody, visitation, children's rights, divorce and other relevant topics.

Families in Transition

Families in Transition (FIT) is a child-centered mediation and parenting education program serving low-income and no-income families involved in parental conflict. Co-mediation teams consisting of a mental health professional and attorney assist separated parents in reaching amicable agreements out of court and provide them with the tools to resolve co-parenting issues that may arise in the future.

Contact the Children's Law Center at (860) 232-9993 or (888) 529-3667 (LAWDOOR) for legal information regarding children's issues, to request mediation services for a client or to learn how to get a court-appointed attorney for a child.