Safeguarding childhoods through giving children a voice in custody disputes and providing true access to justice in the family courts.
So, what does safeguarding childhoods mean? The best predictor of whether a child will do well through parental separation is the duration and degree of conflict. We strive to reduce the degree and duration of parental conflict caused by parental separation therefore minimizing the collateral damage to the child(ren) allowing them to enjoy their childhood rather than carry adult worries. Through giving children a voice in custody litigation, we can return to the focus to our why, the children, and move the focus of custody litigation away from being right to getting it right for the children.
How is a child’s voice heard in custody litigation? The Court can appoint a Guardian ad Litem to represent the best interests of a child in custody litigation. A Guardian ad Litem is bound by Supreme Court Rule 110A View Rule 110A.
In Johnson County, KS, 1 in 4 kids is utilizing the free or reduced lunch program, yet a child in a paternity or divorce case does not have access to a Guardian ad Litem unless the parents can fund one. Since 2008, poverty has steadily grown across the metro area. Sadly, 50% of marriages end in divorce, and divorce often causes financial stress to families and their children. Children whose parents have no financial means to finance a Guardian ad Litem have no true voice in Court.
My Child Advocate, PA provides true access to justice by providing Guardian ad Litem appointment work to children in custody cases who would not otherwise have access to a Guardian ad Litem. To continue to do this work, we need the community’s help and partnership. Our communities’ children and their parents will be further traumatized, the duration and degree of family conflict will continue to fester, and the cycle will continue in future generations.
Donations will go directly to:
- SCHOLARSHIP: subsidizing costs for families to receive much-needed court ordered services that would not otherwise be accessible
- SUPPORT: ongoing training initiatives, strengthening organizational capacity
- SUSTAINABILITY: strengthening community partnerships, accelerating innovative approaches, and fostering pro bono initiatives