CLC joins albany lawmakers calling for increased family court funding

Imagine what you would do if you were a 16-year-old girl living in the Bronx with no family to care for you after your single mother became critically ill with cancer.

Our client, Julia, was in exactly that harrowing situation. Because of her mother’s illness, Julia had been living in chronically unstable housing and found herself falling behind in school. Julia needed help. She came to Family Court by herself to ask that her adult sister, who lived out of state, become her legal guardian.

On February 12—Lincoln’s Birthday—The Children’s Law Center participated in a press conference in Albany to call for full funding of Family Court representation in this legislative session. This funding would provide critically needed support for Attorneys for Children (AFC).

Unfortunately, with current budget levels, too many children are forced to go through court without an attorney to assist them. CLC can work with only a fraction of those children who come through Family Court, and our attorneys struggle with unmanageable caseloads.

Our mission is to provide trauma-informed, individually tailored advocacy that minimizes the double impact of family disruption and involvement with the child welfare and custody systems. Our teams of attorneys, paralegals, and social workers support clients not only in the courtroom—but also in the community and the legislature.

But we cannot meet the need without this funding.

The shortage of support for Family Court—and for the attorneys and organizations that represent children and families—has devastating consequences, particularly for families of color. During Black History Month, it’s especially important to recognize how this crisis reinforces systemic and racial inequities.

Advocating for increased funding for Family Court is not just about budget allocations; it’s a question of values. By ensuring that every child has access to quality legal representation and services, we help break the cycle of injustice and pave the way toward a more equitable future.

Additional support for Attorneys for Children will mean more stories like Julia’s—children living in safe, loving homes with the opportunity to thrive.

We hope you will join us in urging New York lawmakers to fully fund legal representation in Family Court.

Because children’s voices matter.

Photo by New York State Senate