Pathways to Justice 2019

Many low-income Californians parenting or seeking to parent someone else’s child need legal assistance navigating challenges encountered in formal and informal custody arrangements, including probate guardianships and foster care. Caregivers face a myriad of direct and collateral consequences impacting their ability to parent and must weigh the benefits and risks in order to make informed decisions when choosing custodial options. What are the implications of each option on financial supports, housing, immigration, and family autonomy, including parental decision making on visitation, education, healthcare, discipline, social activities, religion, and household composition? This session will provide approaches to counselling and representation through a parenting lens: how informal and formal arrangements impact a caregiver’s ability to make parental decisions. Advocacy strategies for dealing with probate court, juvenile court, child welfare, social services, schools, and other public and private agencies to address common issues that impede the caregiver’s custodial choice and ability to support and effectively parent the children in their care.