Florida’s child advocates and attorneys who fight for the rights of youth abused and neglected in the Florida child welfare system were pleased when an important bill found its way through the Florida Legislature. The “Keys to Independence Bill” was on the way to Governor Rick Scott for signature by... View Article
Results & verdicts
more results & verdictsBlog
Many think of “child abuse” as a physical act of abuse being committed upon kids who are emotionally, physically, or sexually harmed by others. The harm they face, whether as young children or teenagers in households with their families, living in the system, or enduring life on the streets, often... View Article
When the Florida Department of Children and Families responded to a records request by the media regarding the suicide of Lauryn Martin-Everett with the line, “We remain deeply saddened by the tragic loss of this child,” some could argue the admission itself was a reflection of the state’s failed experiment with privatization... View Article
Attorneys, advocates, psychiatrists and healthcare providers who work with foster children under the care and watch of the Florida Department of Children and Families have learned through the years the perils of prescribing powerful psychotropic medications. Several years ago, Gabriel Myers, a 7-year-old boy also under the care of DCF,... View Article
Pioneering child advocacy attorney Howard Talenfeld, who fights for the rights of children harmed, injured, physically and sexually abused, or who have died while under the watch of Florida’s child welfare system, recently spoke with WLRN to discuss the need to end Florida’s tragic, failed experiment with child welfare privatization.... View Article
A Miami judge overseeing a case related to a child’s January suicide that was streamed from her foster home on Facebook Live threatened a Florida Department of Children and Families lawyer to jail for reportedly misleading the judge. The judge is exploring whether other children in the foster home may... View Article
When a 14-year-old girl used Facebook Live to live-stream her suicide, the world came to discover the help she desperately needed and never received from Florida’s social services agencies, notes her attorney. Her destructive behavior and long stint in foster care should have been sufficient warning. But as with other... View Article
The Florida’s Children First 15th Anniversary Celebration of the Broward Child Advocacy Awards and Reception, held this Thrursday at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts Riverview Ballroom, was a remarkable success in raising awareness and funds in the pursuit of protecting the rights of foster and at-risk children. The event... View Article
How important are foster families to Florida’s kids? Statewide, more than 6,000 children have found homes and adoption through Florida’s foster families. That’s an important figure. But their stories tell a more rich tale. Statewide, foster children, and others face unknown futures and possible harm on the streets or in... View Article
Florida’s Children First, the state’s premier organization helping protect the rights of foster and at-risk children, will hold its 15th Anniversary Celebration of the Broward Child Advocacy Awards and Reception in February. The event will be held at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts Riverview Ballroom (201 SW 5th... View Article