In 2019, the Walter S. Johnson Foundation invested in three legal organizations in California who were implementing high- quality representation for children and parents separated by the foster care system: Dependency Legal Services (Marin and Solano Counties), East Bay Children’s Law Offices (Alameda County) and East Bay Family Defenders (Alameda County). The presenting question was whether following certain attributes of legal representation would improve outcomes for children and families. The answer was a resounding Yes.
We found encouraging trends that, while we recognize could not be linked specifically to our programs without a rigorous evaluation, nonetheless confirm the overwhelmingly positive impact that our practitioners noted from their engagement with families.
View the brief here.