by Katie Dresch
The Center for Children’s Advocacy (CCA) mission is to protect and promote the legal rights of Connecticut’s low income children and youth so they have equitable opportunities for good health, quality education and successful transition into adulthood. CCA provides legal representation and advocates for system reform to ensure low income children’s basic needs are met and they have appropriate services from juvenile justice, education, child welfare, healthcare or court systems.
The Fairfield County Children’s Advocacy Center accepts referrals of low income children from cities and towns in Fairfield County. During the most recent fiscal year, the Center’s legal representation and consultation served children in Bridgeport (66%), Norwalk/Stamford (25%), Stratford (8%) and other Fairfield COunty towns such as Danbury, Fairfield and Greenwich. CCA serves about 1,000 clients per year.
CCA provides legal representation and consultation to low-income children, advocates for reforms to improve systems that serve low-income children, and educates youth, parents and professionals about children’s legal rights and how to advocate for children. CCA attorneys have offices inside schools, health care programs and hospitals and visit schools, residential treatment centers, juvenile justice facilities and community programs to be available to low-income children and youth whose needs are not being met. CCA’s Fairfield County Child Advocacy Project provides legal services, systemic advocacy and training to help low-income children and youth in Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford and other Fairfield County towns get their basic needs met and access critical educational and other related services. CCA also serves children in Hartford, New Britain, New Haven and Waterbury.
The Near & Far Aid grant will support the costs of CCA’s advocacy in Fairfield County, including: personnel who provide legal services, legal rights training and systemic reform advocacy; legal expenses; and attorney travel to meet clients.