The Brief
- Advocates say a silent crisis is unfolding as many foster children find themselves without legal representation, leaving them vulnerable and often overlooked.
- Florida is one of 13 states that does not guarantee an attorney for foster children.
- Attorneys say more representation is needed.
- Attorneys say children in group home settings have worse outcomes.
TAMPA, Fla. – Advocates say a silent crisis is unfolding as many foster children find themselves without legal representation, leaving them vulnerable and often overlooked. Florida is one of 13 states that does not guarantee an attorney for foster children, a situation that advocates argue leaves some of the most vulnerable children voiceless and at risk of falling through the cracks.
Taylor Sartor, an attorney at Bay Area Legal Services in Tampa, is at the forefront of the fight for these children. “We definitely need more lawyers for kids. Kids have better outcomes when they have an attorney and they have a voice,” Sartor explains. Her work highlights the critical need for legal advocates who can assess situations through a legal lens and strategically work to achieve the children’s goals.
Despite bipartisan efforts to introduce legislation at the state level to guarantee legal representation for foster children, these initiatives have repeatedly failed. The gap in the system can have devastating consequences, pushing children into the school-to-prison pipeline or making them vulnerable to human trafficking.
Dig deeper:
Research and data consistently show that group home care results in poor outcomes for children. Yet, Florida and other states continue to rely on this model. Sartor advocates for reducing group care and bringing children back to family settings, which would significantly improve their outcomes.…