The Childrens Law Project Of Hawaii

WE ARE A NON-PROFIT PUBLIC INTEREST LAW FIRM DEDICATED TO EMPOWERING COURT-INVOLVED CHILDREN ON HAWAII ISLAND THROUGH YOUTH -FOCUSED ADVOCACY

VICTIM OPTIONS FOR INVESTIGATION, CHILD EMPOWERMENT AND SAFETY (VOICES). OUR VOICES PROGRAM PROVIDES GUARDIANS AD LITEM (GALS) FOR CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS ARE INVOLVED IN FAMILY COURT MATTERS INVOLVING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND CHILD CUSTODY. GALS ARE LAWYERS CHARGED WITH INVESTIGATING CHILDREN'S CIRCUMSTANCES AND ADVOCATING FOR THEIR BEST INTERESTS IN FAMILY COURT. AS ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN, WE INVESTIGATE THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE, REPORT TO THE PARTIES AND THE COURT, ENCOURAGE SETTLEMENT IN CHILDREN'S BEST INTERESTS, AND CONNECT THE FAMILY WITH COMMUNITY RESOURCES. BY PROVIDING GALS FOR CHILDREN, WE REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT CHILD VICTIMS WILL ENTER FOSTER CUSTODY AND PROVIDE CRITICAL ASSISTANCE TO HAWAII COUNTY FAMILY COURT JUDGES MAKING CUSTODY AND VISITATION DETERMINATIONS.

FOSTER CHILD ADVOCACY. AS GALS FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CUSTODY, WE TAKE A BROAD VIEW OF OUR YOUNG CLIENT'S NEEDS. BY FOLLOWING BEST PRACTICES AND ADVOCATING FOR TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, WE SEEK TO CONNECT OUR CLIENTS WITH THE SERVICES THEY NEED TO HEAL FROM THEIR EXPERIENCES. WE STRIVE TO GIVE OUR CLIENTS A VOICE AND EMPOWER THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES PROCESS. THE CHILDREN'S LAW PROJECT ALSO WORKS TO EXPAND AND SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY OF FOSTER CHILD ADVOCATES ON HAWAII ISLAND. OUR GAL RESOURCE CENTERS IN HILO AND KONA PROVIDE SAFE, CONFIDENTIAL, CHILD-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENTS WHERE GALS CAN INTERVIEW FOSTER YOUTH AND THEIR CAREGIVERS. WE ALSO PROVIDE LIBRARIES WITH RESOURCE MATERIALS, TRAININGS, AND COLLABORATIVE MEETINGS FOR GALS. BY SUPPORTUING AND TRAINING GALS, WE SEEK TO MAXIMIZE THE LEVEL OF ADVOCACY ON OUR COMMUNITY OFFERS FOSTER CHILDREN ON HAWAII ISLAND.

PROJECT PERMANENCE. THROUGH PROJECT PERMANENCE, WE WORK TO ESTABLISH ADOPTIONS AND LEGAL GUARDIANSHIPS FOR CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS ARE NOT ABLE TO SAFELY CARE FOR THEM. FIRST, WE SEEK TO PREVENT CHILD WELFARE INVOLVEMENT BY ESTABLISHING A LEGAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHILDREN AND NON-PARENT CAREGIVERS. SECOND, PROJECT PERMANENCE SEEKS TO GET CHILDREN ALREADY INVOLVED WITH CHILD WELFARE SERVICES OUT OF THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM BY ESTABLISHING GUARDIANSHIPS AND ADOPTIONS. ULTIMATELY, THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO HELP CHILDREN LIVE IN PERMANENT HOMES AND FORGE LIFE-LONG CONNECTIONS TO STABLE FAMILIES

PROJECT ABLE, RESOURCE CENTER AND UNRESTRICTED FUNDS