Children's Legal Services

CONTACT:

4 Cypress Street
Brookline, MA 02445
617-264-7333
www.childlaw.org

Henry E. Bock, Jr., Executive Director

DESCRIPTION:

More children in deep trouble -- runaways from home, chronic truants, or severely psychologically or emotionally dysfunctional children, are being referred to courts, as schools, and state social-service and mental health agencies grow more over-burdened and under-budgeted to address individuals' needs. Unfortunately, courts have few options, and often none better than the worst: incarceration.

Children's Legal Services was established in 1992 as a benefit law center that tries to find and obtain the best options for children referred to it by the courts. It now operates a licensed adoption placement agency and foster care placement agency, as well as a Probate and Family Court Department-approved mediation program. Its four attorneys, six law clerks and one social worker assist children in a broad range of child welfare, child custody, adoption, special education, and disability matters. CLS deserves your support.

(1998: HUMAN SERVICES: Children and Youth: General)