Council for Childrens Rights Inc

Childrens Defense Advocacy (CDT):Children's Defense Advocacy- the council serves as the specialized juvenile publicdefender in Mecklenburg County. through a contract with the North Carolina office ofindigent defense services, which provides funding for roughly 76% of the cost of theprogram, the council's attorneys represent all children charged with crimes injuvenile delinquency court. In addition to performing the public defender role injuvenile court, the council represents every child that is facing confinement inmental health institution as express interest attorneys, the council provides thevoice of the child and fights to ensure that the child's constitutional and statutory rights are protected. The council is the only specialized juvenile public defender in North Carolina.

Education Advocacy (ELP):Education advocacy- the council 's attorneys and advocates serve as best interestadvocates for children who need services. These advocates work in the complex area of special education, mental health, child welfare (abuse, neglect and dependency), public benefits, domestic violence and human trafficking. The council receives almost all these cases by court order through the district court, and occasionally through community referrals from concerned parents, guardians,relatives or others who contact the council's office. the council helps clients navigate compels social services systems so they can receive appropriate services to meet their needs. when advocacy or other intervention efforts are unsuccessful, the council can use impact litigation on behalf of an individual child to ensure that the child's legal rights are protected. the council specializes in working with children who have complex needs in multiples social services systems, who are at risk of languishing and falling through the cracks.