Kinship
CPS Safety Plans
submitted by Sarah Hedden, Esq. Child Protective Service (CPS) is tasked with investigating reports of child maltreatment, and with keeping children safe. When a CPS caseworker finds a situation where a child is unsafe, they often work with the family to create a plan to keep the child(ren) safe while the parent works on the…
Read MoreKinship Care Month – Celebrating Non-Parent Caregivers
September is Kinship Care Month. Kinship Care refers to caregiver grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, adult siblings, and even family friends. Nationally, more than 2.7 million children live with relatives, and New York State has more than 200,000 children living full time with kin. The Center for Elder Law & Justice provides free legal representation to…
Read MoreKinship Attorneys available to assist caregivers with access to special education resources
For over a decade, the Kinship Unit of the Center for Elder Law and Justice has represented non-parent caregivers of children in Erie and Niagara Counties. We represent caregivers on issues related not only to permanency, but also access to education. Schools in New York officially closed on March 16, 2020, and will be closed…
Read MoreTemporary Orders of Protection during the COVID-19 Crisis
Submitted by Gabrielle Markle As of March 16, 2020, all non-essential matters in the Unified Court System of New York State were adjourned until at least April 30, 2020. Essential matters were narrowly defined to reduce traffic in the courthouse. It is advised that if you have an upcoming court date, to call the court…
Read MoreKinship Care: Continuing the Child-Parent Relationship during COVID-19
submitted by Sarah Hedden, Esq. The coronavirus pandemic is a scary and stressful time for everyone, but particularly for children. Their schools are closed, routines are disrupted, and they or their loved ones may be sick. It’s important to continue a routine for ourselves and the children we care for. Across the United States, about…
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