It Starts at Home: Building Strong Families Through Multidisciplinary Advocacy

Pauline, a 19-year-old in Los Angeles’ extended foster care program and a new mother, drew the unwanted attention of the Department of Children and Family Services. Terrified she might lose her baby and unsure of her rights, she turned to her attorney at Children’s Law Center of California (CLC). 

Utilizing a unique multi-disciplinary model, CLC exclusively represents children and youth in the child welfare system. In Los Angeles, CLC’s clients number a mind-boggling 28,000, all of whom are subject to potentially life-altering decisions – up to and often including whether a child will be reunified with their family. 

Launched in 1990, CLC has expanded its work beyond in-court representation to address a multitude of their clients’ needs – everything from mental health specialists to special education advocates and more.  

“Our clients’ needs drive our work,” says CLC’s Executive Director Leslie Starr Heimov. “We focus on wrapping our clients and their families with the holistic advocacy and support they need to thrive.”

These efforts have promoted innovative projects and programs, including one focused on parenting youth like Pauline.

When CLC began its work with Pauline, the team learned the complaints that initiated the investigation resulted from retaliatory, harassing calls to the emergency hotline by a former partner – an all-too-common occurrence. CLC helped guide Pauline through the investigatory process, supporting her at every stage. Once it was all over – without a case ever being opened – Pauline’s CLC advocacy team helped her develop a co-parenting plan to avoid future issues. 

“I got a lot of support from my CLC team, and I knew that whatever was going to happen, I could trust them,” Pauline said. “Even today, I know I can call them if anything comes up. I know my daughter is safe with them, and she’s going to be safe with me.”

Building on their current work for parenting youth in foster care, CLC is embarking on an ambitious new endeavor: a Family Advocacy and Support Center. This soon-to-launch program will build bridges into the community to support former clients and, in the long term, keep children safe and families together.