Tag Archive for: Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts

What Massachusetts parents should know this back-to-school season

Below is the full text of a Boston Globe article from 08/26/25.

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Full Article from the Boston Globe.

By Marcela Rodrigues

With summer days coming to a close, parents and children are prepping for the new school year, shopping for clothes and picking out backpacks. Parents across Massachusetts, particularly those whose children are going to school for the first time or who are new to a specific school or district, can be apprehensive about new schedules, required supplies, and whether their child feels confident and ready for the first day.

To make the transition smoother, school psychologists and education advocates recommend parents be proactive, involve their children in the process, and not leave preparation to the last minute.

If parents are nervous about back to school, their children might get anxious, said Bob Bardwell, executive director of the Massachusetts School Counselors Association. Bardwell’s advice is to normalize the process and listen to their children if they express concerns about the new year.

In addition to gathering all necessary documents, from registration forms to transportation schedules, and being up to date on required immunizations, experts have a few more tips for anxious parents.

Make sure teachers know your child

Teachers should have important information about your child, especially challenges they might be facing, said Laura Perez of the nonprofit Massachusetts Advocates for Children.

Parents should attend an open house or contact their child’s teacher before the school year starts, Perez said. Relevant information to share with teachers include whether a child has been bullied in the past, faced any significant changes over the summer, or required medication during the school day.

If a child requires any kind of additional support, such as physical accommodations or extended time on assignments, it is important for the teacher to be informed about them.

This is especially important if a child is receiving special education services or has an individualized education program, or IEP.

“Teachers are getting to know 25 or 30 students at a time,” Perez said. “Many people think teachers have the IEP right there with them, but that’s not the case. They either have to go in the computer and search for it, or they have to go to the office where the IEP is saved.”

Perez also recommends sharing information about the child’s strengths, interests, and specific goals for the new year.

Massachusetts Advocates for Children created a sample letter parents can use when deciding what information they want to share with new teachers.

Ask about your district’s cellphone policy

Massachusetts doesn’t have a law banning students from having cellphones in school, despite recent efforts to pass legislation.

Each district has its own policies regarding electronic devices, and some individual teachers might have their own rules as well.

Brockton, Fall River, Ipswich, Methuen, and Newton have rules in place restricting student use of cellphones. In Newton, for example, public school students are not allowed to have cellphones with them throughout the school day.

In other districts, such as Boston, students are only permitted to use cellphones before and after school hours, at after school or sports activities with permission of a coach or instructor, and at evening or weekend activities in the school building.

Perez said many parents and children rely on cellphones to communicate during the school day: “‘Hey, remember the doctor’s appointment?’ or, ‘Mom, can you bring me my lunch I forgot?’”

“Some kids with social-emotional struggles use their cellphone to call mom or dad and say, ‘I’m not feeling well,’ ‘I’m anxious,’ ‘The bullies are here again’,” Perez said. “It’s going to be really hard for these students to not have that way of direct communication with their families.”

If the district has a policy preventing cellphones in schools, families should ensure they communicate ahead of time, Perez said. Her recommendation for families is to make a plan of what steps their children will take in case they’re not feeling well.

Some of these steps include communicating with teachers and other school employees, and asking them to use a school phone to call parents if necessary.

Ease your child into a new routine

Some children struggle with change. A new school year often means a new teacher, a new classroom, or even a new school.

Perez recommends parents take their children to tour the campus before school starts, if the option is available. Finding their new classroom beforehand and creating some familiarity with the building can be very helpful for some children.

She also recommends introducing children to their new schedules and routines ahead of time and minimizing the number of unfamiliar things. That includes waking up earlier in the days or weeks leading up to the first day of school, bringing back scheduled meals, and setting a bed time.

“Anything that the school offers in terms of orientation, in terms of tours, or just coming in, I would do that many times,” Bardwell said. “Come in when no one’s around because you don’t want to admit you’re scared or worried . . . That relieves, hopefully, some of the tension and anxiety they may have.”

Communicate openly with your child

Bardwell recommends normalizing the process of going back to school, while communicating with children about how they’re feeling.

“Are they excited? Are they nervous? Are they anxious? What are they saying?” Bardwell said. “Many adolescents, in particular, don’t want to interact with adults. Some parents take that as ‘I’m done. I don’t have to do this.’ In fact, I would suggest the opposite of that.“

The young people who don’t want to communicate with their family might be the ones who need it most, Bardwell said.

When parents ask about children’s feelings and check in with them, it sends a message that the parent is interested and engaged.

If the child doesn’t want to talk, parents can ask when would be a good time and schedule a time for later.

“Tell me more about why you’re nervous,” and “What are you worried about?” are good ways to approach the conversation, he said.

Bardwell advises parents to try to understand what the child’s concerns are, and then try to see if anything can be done to remediate that.

If they’re worried about who they’re going to sit with during lunch, one approach, he said, might be finding out their friends’s schedules to see if they match.

Know your rights as a parent

Every child, regardless of immigration or disability, have the right to attend public schools.

Public schools are mandated to provide services for certain children, including English language support and special education services.

Schools must follow the individual education plans tailored for children with special needs. Non-English speaking families also have a right to an interpreter and to have the documentation translated into their native language.

“We have received a few calls from parents whose primary language is not English, and they are having a hard time registering their child because they call the office and nobody speaks their language,” Perez said.

When it comes to accessing services or supporting a child struggling, Perez suggests parents should communicate in writing with school leaders to make sure they have a record of the interaction.

Seek additional help if needed

“The time that people need that extra support, it’s now at the beginning of the year,” said Bardwell.

In addition to resources available in school districts, outside nonprofit organizations, such as St. Stephen’s Youth Programs and Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts, support parents with advocacy and legal support.

Such organizations often specialize on supporting families dealing with bullying, struggling to access special education services, and navigating discipline issues.

Massachusetts Advocates for Children has a free helpline for parents who are struggling with any educational issue, from enrollment to special education services.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Newton.

Education Justice Counsel

The Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts (CLCM) seeks a passionate and creative attorney to provide holistic legal advocacy to children and youth facing barriers to a quality education. This is an excellent opportunity to join a team of supportive, creative colleagues focused on providing zealous legal representation to children and youth. The ideal candidate will have expertise in education law, a deep understanding of the challenges faced by systems-involved students, and a strong commitment to ensuring that all students have access to a quality education, regardless of background or resources.

The Opportunity: Client-centered and client-directed legal representation and advocacy to students who may have disabilities, are English learners, are immigrants, face exclusion or pushout, are homeless, are systems-involved, or are otherwise not receiving the education to which they are entitled. CLCM counsel will also collaborate to address broader systemic inequalities, including policies and practices of school districts that impede certain students from receiving a high quality education and which arise from the representation of individual students. Practice will encompass matters before schools, administrative bodies, and state and federal courts. Collaborate with and engage youth, their families, sponsors, and community providers around student rights and the right to a high-quality education. Engage in systemic and community advocacy that furthers the interests of children/youth served by CLCM.

Qualifications:

· Admission to the Massachusetts bar is required.

· Demonstrated legal experience (1-3 years minimum) in areas of education law, immigration law, family law, juvenile court (foster care/juvenile justice) and other related substantive areas required. Prior experience representing children and youth is highly valued.

· Being bilingual/bicultural is strongly preferred, particularly fluency in Spanish.

· Knowledge of trauma-informed principles and demonstrated commitment to serving individuals who may have experienced poverty and/or discrimination is highly valued.

· Ability to establish trust and connection with children and families of diverse backgrounds, lived experience, communications styles, and cultures highly valued.

· Must have excellent legal writing, research, and oral advocacy skills. Strong organizational skills, an ability to multi-task, self-start, prioritize tasks, delegate as appropriate, manage time and cases effectively, and to work collaboratively as well as independently.

· Strong desire to identify creative strategies to address barriers and as outgrowth of direct representation to pursue legal projects with broad impact, and in providing outreach and community legal education.

· Demonstrated ability to learn new databases and new technologies.

Salary/Benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience and starting range $71,500 to 74,500K. Generous benefits package: Individual medical and dental insurance with premium 100% covered; 403(b) program with employer match eligibility; student loan repayment assistance program for eligible attorneys; numerous professional development opportunities; paid leave including sick, vacation, personal and holidays. Hybrid Workplace with the expectation that staff maintain a regular in-person presence at CLCM’s Lynn Office and conduct client meetings and other case related work in-person. CLCM’s Lynn office is accessible on the commuter rail and MBTA bus; parking available.

To Apply: Please send – 1) letter of interest 2) resume and 3) legal writing sample via e-mail, with subject: CLCM Ed Atty to j.chou@clcm.org. Applications will be reviewed when received.

The Organization: The CLCM is a not-for-profit legal services organization providing legal advocacy to indigent children and youth in matters pertaining to immigration, education, foster care, and juvenile justice. CLCM provides individual representation and engages in strategic and community advocacy to expand children’s equitable access to achieve their own life goals. Our work is driven by the principle that every child – regardless of where they were born – should have equitable access to a safe and stable home, to relationships with supportive adults, to an education and community support, and to other opportunities that will allow them to successfully transition to young adulthood.

CLCM is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, class, color, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender, national origin, race, sexual orientation, or gender identity/expression. We welcome and encourage applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and lived experiences.

COUNSEL FOR IMMIGRANT AND UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN

The Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts (CLCM) seeks an attorney to provide legal advocacy addressing the holistic legal needs of immigrant children and youth, especially those who are unaccompanied and living without a parent/legal guardian in northeastern MA, including Lynn and surrounding communities. This is an excellent opportunity to join a team of supportive, creative colleagues focused on providing zealous legal representation to children and youth.

The Opportunity:  Client-centered and client-directed legal representation and advocacy to immigrant and unaccompanied children/youth primarily on matters involving humanitarian immigration relief, as well as education advocacy, foster care advocacy, and juvenile justice. Practice will encompass matters before MA courts, US Immigration Court, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), administrative bodies, schools etc. Collaborate with and engage youth, their families, sponsors, and community providers around the rights of immigrant youth. Engage in systemic and community advocacy that furthers the interests of child/youth immigrant communities.

Qualifications:

  • Admission to the Massachusetts bar is required.
  • Demonstrated legal experience (1-3 years minimum) in areas of immigration law, family law, juvenile court (foster care/juvenile justice) and other related substantive areas required. Prior experience representing children and youth is highly valued.
  • Being bilingual/bicultural is strongly preferred, particularly fluency in Spanish.
  • Knowledge of trauma-informed principles and demonstrated commitment to serving individuals who may have experienced poverty and/or discrimination is highly valued.
  • Ability to establish trust and connection with children and families of diverse backgrounds, lived experience, communications styles, and cultures highly valued.
  • Must have excellent legal writing, research, and oral advocacy skills. Strong organizational skills, an ability to multi-task, self-start, prioritize tasks, delegate as appropriate, manage time and cases effectively, and to work collaboratively as well as independently.
  • Strong desire to identify creative strategies to address barriers and as outgrowth of direct representation to pursue legal projects with broad impact, and in providing outreach and community legal education.
  • Demonstrated ability to learn new databases and new technologies.

Salary/Benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience and starting range $71,500 to 74,500K. Generous benefits package: Individual medical and dental insurance with premium 100% covered; 403(b) program with employer match eligibility; student loan repayment assistance program for eligible attorneys; numerous professional development opportunities; paid leave including sick, vacation, personal and holidays. Hybrid Workplace with the expectation that staff maintain a regular in-person presence at CLCM’s Lynn Office and conduct client meetings and other case related work in-person. CLCM’s Lynn office is accessible on the commuter rail and MBTA bus; parking available.

To Apply: Please send – 1) letter of interest 2) resume and 3) legal writing sample via e-mail, with subject: CLCM Immigrant counsel to j.chou@clcm.org. Applications will be reviewed when received.

The Organization: The CLCM is a not-for-profit legal services organization providing legal advocacy to indigent children and youth in matters pertaining to immigration, education, foster care, and juvenile justice. CLCM provides individual representation and engages in strategic and community advocacy to expand children’s equitable access to achieve their own life goals. Our work is driven by the principle that every child – regardless of where they were born – should have equitable access to a safe and stable home, to relationships with supportive adults, to an education and community support, and to other opportunities that will allow them to successfully transition to young adulthood.

CLCM is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, class, color, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender, national origin, race, sexual orientation, or gender identity/expression. We welcome and encourage applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and lived experiences.

 

When the foster care system is in the dark (Boston Globe)

 

Below is an excerpt from an article published by the Boston Globe on December 2. In the article, child advocates voice concerns over the administration of drugs to children in foster care after a state report revealed incomplete records on mental health treatments for hundreds of foster children. Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts’ Alexis Williams Torrey is quoted.

Many children benefit from medication to address mental health conditions, whether anxiety, depression, or ADHD. This can be particularly true of children who have undergone trauma, such as being removed from their home. For years, officials in the state Department of Children and Families have struggled to ensure that they provide necessary medication to children in their agency’s care — without overmedicating them.

Over the past decade, state officials have made immense progress in that direction. But, as a recent audit by Auditor Diana DiZoglio pointed out, significant issues remain. DiZoglio identified shortcomings with how children’s psychiatric medication is being documented and tracked, and raised concerns about whether kids are getting the follow-up care they need.

To its credit, DCF is taking the audit seriously and working to improve documentation of children’s medication and treatment. As importantly, there needs to be a continued focus on making sure that foster children who need therapy get it — an often challenging task given the shortage of mental health care providers.

The issue dates back more than a decade to when the US Government Accountability Office recommended the federal government issue guidance to states on how to oversee the prescribing of psychotropic medications to children in foster care, in response to concerns about overprescribing. A GAO audit of five states, including Massachusetts, found that monitoring programs fell short of best practices.

Read more at the Boston Globe.

Uplifting children’s voices in the Child Advocacy Clinic



The Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts (CLCM) welcomed an extern this semester, Harvard Law School J.D. candidate Austin Riddick, who was profiled in Harvard Law Today along with two other students participating in the Child Advocacy Clinic. Riddick is focusing on special education law, serving as an advocate for students and parents in conversations with their school districts about how to ensure the child has an adequate education plan.

In his work, Riddick performs legal research and writing in addition to a variety of direct client services tasks, such as interviewing and negotiation. Aside from technical lawyering skills, Riddick has found relationship building to be an especially important tool for effective advocacy. “Having a positive working relationship with the school district is really important for CLCM, because it makes it easier for the negotiations to happen. It’s a collaborative process. We go to meetings with school districts and teachers regularly where they give progress reports on the various children that CLCM serves as an advocate for, and we work together to figure out what the child needs and what will put them in the best place.”

Read more in Harvard Law Today.

Our Kids in Mass. Are Alright, But We Can Do Better

By Lonnie Powers

Here in Massachusetts, we have more than 200,000 children living in poverty, and more than one-third of them live in families extremely vulnerable to homelessness. Despite this, our state leads the nation in rankings for overall child well-being, according to the 2014 KIDS COUNT Data Book, an annual report from The Annie E. Casey Foundation that tracks the economic, educational, health and family/community well-being of America’s children.

One of the primary reasons Massachusetts does so well, relatively speaking, can be attributed to the state’s robust network of nonprofits that advocate on behalf of low income children and families. While legal services may not immediately come to mind as a significant factor when it comes to fighting poverty, hunger and homelessness, the state’s civil legal aid organizations are a vital part of this safety net.

To give one example: legal aid organizations routinely secure vital educational services for children. Take the Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts (CLCM), which provided full litigation representation involving education issues to 208 students and their families in FY13. In most of these cases, CLCM won appropriate school services, including placements and reinstatements. CLCM also provided advice and brief services to another 796 students. Among their clients are youth excluded from school or segregated in inadequate alternative school settings, children who are homeless, and children who are in foster care.

The state’s federal reimbursement for the cost of intensive behavioral services provided by Massachusetts to low-income children with autism increased thanks to advocacy by Massachusetts Advocates for Children (MAC). Beginning in FY08, MAC’s advocacy for the Children’s Autism Medicaid Waiver resulted in the Commonwealth receiving 50 percent federal reimbursement. The waiver was originally capped at $2.5 million but expanded to $3 million in FY11 with MAC’s advocacy. In FY13 MAC again advocated for expansion, resulting in the cap being raised to $4 million. This will result in the state receiving an additional $500,000 in federal reimbursement each year. The program, which served 182 students in December 2013, now has the capacity to serve 220 children. Not only are these children receiving the intensive services they need and deserve, resulting in a higher quality of life, but over the long term, many can be expected to avoid costly institutionalization, saving as much as $195,000 per year per child.

Additionally, the Center for Law and Education combines statewide advocacy with technical support and collaborative policy work to identify the systemic patterns underlying student exclusion from effective education and to advocate for changes in school policies and practices to improve student outcomes. Their work benefits all low-income students, including those with disabilities.

This is the kind of work it takes to keep children, especially those facing exceptional obstacles, in school. As Noah Berger, president of MassBudget, the Massachusetts KIDS Count group, noted in announcing the report earlier this summer, “Dismantling the barriers to success that are holding back too many of our children will not be easy. It requires improving our schools and the array of supports our kids need to be ready to thrive in school.”

Our children need more stability if they’re to succeed as adults. All of our safety net organizations need support to continue their vital work. And civil legal aid must continue to be a part of that safety net to ensure that all of the Commonwealth’s children reach their full potential as students and productive members of our communities.

While we may hold the top spot in the country for child well-being, it’s clearly not good enough. Our kids may be doing better than most, but we want them to be excellent.

Lonnie A. Powers is the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation. He has more than 40 years of policy and legal experience at the state and national levels, having devoted the majority of his career to establishing, building, sustaining and revitalizing legal aid organizations. Lonnie began his legal career in his native Arkansas, first with the Attorney General’s Office and later with Legal Services of Arkansas, where he served as Executive Director.