High quality representation of children in dependency court has been associated with better outcomes and shorter times in care for children in dependency cases. While a number of states in recent years have enacted legislation to better facilitate representation of children in dependency court, several states continue to fall short of this goal.
Statutes
- Massachusetts
- M.G.L.A 119 § 29 – right to counsel
- Connecticut
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-129a (2) (A) – statutory right to counsel
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-129a (2) (c) – client-directed representation
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-129(a) – children as parties
- Louisiana
- La. Ch.C. Art. 551 – counsel for children as essential DP right
- La. Ch.C. Art. 607(A) – counsel appointed at first court hearing
- La Ch.C. Art. 607(B) – representation at all stages of proceedings
- La. Ch. C. Art. 551 – specialized knowledge and skill required
- La Ch.C. Art. 607(B) – child as party
- Oklahoma
- 10A Ok St. § 1-4- 306(A)(5) – right to counsel
- 10A Okl. St. § 1-4-306(A)(5) – representation throughout the action
- 10A Okl. St. § 1-4-306(A)(2)(c) – client-directed representation
- 10A Okl. St. § 1-8-101(B)(1) – specialized training
- 10A Okl. St. § 1-4-601(E)(2) – child as party
- New York
- NY CLS Family Ct Act § 249(a) – right to appointed counsel
- NY CLS Family Ct Act § 1120(b) – representation through appeal
General Research
- Children’s Advocacy Institute, A Child’s Right to Counsel, 4th ed. (2019)
- Includes data on societal and economic costs of child abuse and neglect (p. 8)
- Includes information about the 2017 Children’s Bureau policy memorandum in support of high quality legal representation for children in dependency proceedings (p. 9)
- Includes research about how children’s counsel facilitate better outcomes for children (p. 11), including research conducted by the Quality Improvement Center on the Representation of Children in the Child Welfare System (QIC-Child Rep) at the University of Michigan. (p. 11-12)
