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(Scroll Beyond This Introduction to Read the Latest Blog Post)
Thousands of foster children, former foster children, developmentally disabled and medically needy children are part of the Florida child care system. If you’re currently or formerly a child in – or an advocate for or parent of a child in the foster care system, Florida Child Advocate is here to help.
Every year, thousands of foster children, medically needy children, or those physically abused, sexually abused, the victims of personal injury, legal damages, and pain and suffering are left to seek solutions on their own. No child should go through this on his or her own. And for the almost 500 who have died while under state watch, they deserved better.
This site was created by the law firm of Talenfeld Law, which was founded by nationally known Florida child advocate Howard Talenfeld, the preeminent children’s rights attorneys focusing exclusively on protecting the rights of physically and sexually abused children, developmentally disabled children and other at-risk children. Florida Child Advocate is dedicated to protecting children and addressing key issues facing those with foster care, physical abuse, child sexual abuse, social services, dependency, disability or personal injury and damages claims or lawsuits against the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), lead agencies, community based care providers, and other child welfare providers.
We believe that children belong with their own families. However, we also believe that when protective investigations by the Florida DCF and its agencies reveal that children are at high risk of neglect, child sex abuse or physical abuse by their parents, they must be placed with suitable relatives when they are available, and if not, some children must be placed in foster care. Critically, if children are going to be taken into foster care, they should be protected by the Florida Department of Children & Families and their community partners from the risk of physical and sexual abuse and returned home or placed in loving and nurturing adoptive families as quickly as possible. Topics also include the rights of foster Children to be safe from harm in care, their right to medical, psychological care, and disability benefits, their educational rights, and their rights on the road to independence.
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By: Julianna Walo, Esquire
The child welfare attorneys at Justice for Kids, a division of Kelley Kronenberg, regularly review cases where DCFS negligence claims arise from institutional failures in Illinois child advocacy. This particular case exemplifies why legal intervention is sometimes necessary to protect foster care rights and hold agencies accountable.
Each year, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) publishes an Annual Report to the Governor and the General Assembly of Illinois, investigating misconduct and violations by DCFS employees, foster parents, service providers, and contractors. In this year’s report, the OIG found that all the caretakers utterly failed a female youth in care, A.Z., who was eventually sex trafficked.
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Despite eight prior calls to the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) abuse hotline, a young boy was left in the care of his mother and is now catastrophically injured. Having exhausted all legal remedies, a claims bill (HB 6541) has been filed by Clermont Republican Rep. Taylor Yarkosky on behalf of the child, referred to as C.C., who is left with no other option to provide for the care and support he so desperately needs for the rest of his life.
Stacie Schmerling of the Justice for Kids Division of Kelley Kronenberg represents C.C., a Florida boy who was left permanently and catastrophically brain injured at just thirteen months old due to overdosing on his drug-addicted mother’s methadone.
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A residential mental health treatment facility in Palm Beach County, Florida can’t admit new clients with a “history of self-harm, suicidal ideations or suicide attempts” according to an order issued by the state. As reported by WFLX Fox 29, the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) claims that employees at the facility violated multiple policies in the days leading up to the tragic suicide of a 15-year-old.
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By: Julianna Walo, Esquire
The Illinois child welfare system faces unprecedented challenges in protecting our state’s most vulnerable children. As child protection services struggle with systemic issues and DCFS oversight remains under scrutiny, families and advocates need clear information about the foster care system. Here are the most pressing questions about foster care in Illinois, answered by experienced child welfare attorneys.
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By: Julianna Walo, Esquire
A Tragic Case Reshapes Illinois Daycare Safety
Fifteen years ago, on January 14, 2009, a child’s death in the hands of a daycare led to many questions of child neglect and abuse. The daycare worker, Melissa Calusinski, was working at a daycare in a suburb of Chicago. According to Melissa, late that afternoon, after she put Ben Kingan down on the carpet and he crawled into his bouncy seat on the floor, she noticed something was wrong with the child. He would not wake when she touched him and had orange foam coming out of his nose. Ben was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead an hour later.
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Justin Grosz, a Co-founder and Lead Partner of Justice for Kids, a division of Kelley Kronenberg, recently summitted Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, East Africa.
As an advocate and voice for children in need, he also spent time at a local orphanage and sponsored housing for 45 children there.
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By: Julianna Walo, Esquire
Illinois’ child welfare system is in crisis, with child advocacy groups increasingly concerned about systematic failures. Despite a landmark ACLU class action lawsuit filed 36 years ago (B.H. v. Johnson) meant to reform the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), the treatment of children in state care has actually deteriorated rather than improved. Children are still being physically abused, sexually abused and otherwise harmed in the foster care system that is supposed to protect them by the negligence of DCFS. At Justice for Kids, we can help them recover critical resources through a lawsuit and damage award that they will need after they turn 21 and throughout their lives.
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When adoptive parents welcome a child into their home, they trust adoption agencies to provide complete and accurate information about their child’s background. Unfortunately, this trust can be broken through adoption agency negligence–a serious legal issue that can have devastating consequences for families and may warrant an adoption negligence lawsuit. Such negligence can include failing to disclose critical behavioral and mental health histories, which has led to instances of physical and sexual abuse within adoptive families who were left unprepared and unsupported in addressing their child’s specialized needs.
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Justice for Kids®, a division of Kelley Kronenberg, is pleased to announce that Business Unit Leader and Partner Stacie J. Schmerling has been selected to Florida Trend’s Legal Elite NOTABLE – Women Leaders in Law for 2024.
Florida Trend’s editorial review team vetted and selected individual women leaders in law who qualified for inclusion by meeting and exceeding specific methodology and criteria parameters that were put in place for this nomination process. These include making a significant impact in their field, demonstrating leadership in professional organizations and the community, and acting as role models or mentors to others.
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By: Julianna Walo, Esquire
As an attorney in Kelley Kronenberg’s Justice for Kids Division, I’ve seen firsthand how critical early recognition of child abuse can be. The statistics are stark and sobering:
- 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men were sexually abused before the age of 18 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- More than 42 million adult survivors of child sexual abuse live in the United States
- 73% of child victims do not disclose their abuse for at least a year
- 45% remain silent for at least five years, with some never disclosing at all
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As reported by WFSU, Franklin County Sheriff A. J. Smith is again calling out the Florida Department of Children and Families for failing to serve abused children and neglected kids in his jurisdiction.
Read the full story here.
Howard M. Talenfeld, a top children’s rights attorney, was honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Fort Lauderdale/Broward Chapter as the 2024 Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser. Talenfeld is a Business Unit Leader of Justice for Kids, a division of Kelley Kronenberg, and the Founder and Board President of Florida’s Children First.
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Tallahassee, FL – March 9, 2025 – WFSU- Two Florida state agencies announce new tools for combating human trafficking Two state agencies are working to identify kids vulnerable to sex trafficking before they’re victimized. The Florida Department of Children and Families and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have announced an enhanced screening tool and new grant funding for law enforcement.
Chicago, IL – January 31, 2025 – NPR Illinois- DCFS launches new app for caseworkers and families The state of Illinois is rolling out a new app to help parents of abused and neglected children better communicate with their Department of Children and Family Services [DCFS] caseworkers and with other service providers.
Broward County, FL – January 30, 2025 – The Sun-Sentinel- Broward Sheriff’s Office will stop staffing juvenile detention center in May Blaming staff shortages and an unsafe building to work in, the Broward Sheriff’s Office will no longer send deputies to work at the state’s Department of Justice’s Juvenile Assessment Center.
Vernon, CT – November 19, 2024 – WLBT- Woman left 4 kids home alone in ‘filth’ for days while she took a trip to New York, police say A woman in Connecticut is accused of leaving her four kids alone for days while she took a trip to New York, according to authorities.
Flagler County, FL – November 10, 2024 – CBS 12- Flagler County middle school employee accused of attacking disabled student An employee at Indian Trails Middle School has been accused of child abuse after she was caught on camera striking a disabled student in an unprovoked attack.
Chicago, Il – November 8, 2024 – CBS News Chicago- Troubled teen who escaped DCFS caseworkers was not placed into secure facility after being found A 17-year-old with a violent history escaped from his caseworkers in Chicago last month, and it turns out the foster child in the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services was not placed in a secure facility recommended to the state after being brought back into custody.
Jacksonville, FL – September 20, 2024 – Action News Jax- Duval County teacher under investigation after 8-year-old is injured A Beauclerc Elementary School teacher is being investigated by Duval County Public Schools after a physical incident with an 8-year-old student.
Miami, FL – September 3, 2024 – Miami Herald- Rising costs of care could strain funding for Florida program for brain-damaged kids Facing withering criticism from parents, advocates, lawmakers and insurance regulators, Florida’s compensation program for children born with catastrophic brain injuries opened its bank account three years ago and improved the lives of some of the state’s most disabled children.
Orlando, FL – September 2, 2024 – Orlando Sentinel- Autism drowning deaths prompt push for children’s specialized swim lessons Drowning is the number one cause of death for kids with autism and Florida leads the nation in fatalies.
Aventura, FL – August 5, 2024 – WSVN News 7- Parents arrested after leaving toddler in hot car while they shopped at Target in Aventura, police say A man and woman were arrested on child abuse charges after allegedly leaving their 2-year-old child in a hot car while they shopped at Target in Aventura.
Austin, TX – July 18, 2024 – WPLG Local 10- Largest housing provider for migrant children engaged in pervasive sexual abuse, US says Employees of the largest housing provider for unaccompanied migrant children in the U.S. repeatedly sexually abused and harassed children in their care for at least eight years, the Justice Department said Thursday, alleging a shocking litany of offenses that took place as the company amassed billions of dollars in government contracts.
Daytona Beach, FL – July 9, 2024 – WESH 2- Police: Man arrested in Daytona Beach after dangling, dropping child off second-floor resort balcony A 31-year-old man was arrested on Saturday after allegedly dropping a 4-year-old off the second floor of a Daytona Beach resort, according to an affidavit from the police department.
Palm Coast, FL – July 7, 2024 – WSVN 7- Florida woman charged with child neglect after good Samaritan finds 2-year-old son wandering near busy road alone A good Samaritan found a 2-year-old boy wandering in a Florida neighborhood all alone, and now the child’s mother is facing charges after she was found fast asleep inside their home.
Homestead, FL – May 16, 2024 – WPLG Local 10- Homestead couple accused of murdering their 6-month-old baby girl Two 24-year-old parents brought their 6-month-old to Homestead Hospital in cardiac arrest Sunday afternoon; doctors found that the baby had no pulse and signs of severe child abuse, according to police.
Brevard County, FL – May 16, 2024 – WESH 2 Orlando- Family sues Brevard County day care for alleged child abuse and negligence An incident at a Brevard County day care involving a child and teacher has led to more allegations of child abuse and negligence after the Department of Children and Families studied surveillance video.
Chicago, IL – May 7, 2024 – WSIL – TV- Lawsuit alleges pervasive child sexual abuse at Illinois juvenile detention centers for decades A group of 95 people filed a lawsuit in Illinois on Monday alleging they were sexually abused as children in juvenile detention centers across the state for over two decades.
Wildwood, FL – May 4, 2024 – Fox 35 Orlando- Florida DCF worker accused of abusing 11-year-old foster child A Kids Central employee was arrested after he aggressively threw an 11-year-old foster child onto a couch and hurt her, according to an arrest affidavit from the Wildwood Police Department.
Tallahassee, FL – May 3, 2024 – The Tampa Bay Times – Nearly 600,000 Florida kids shed from government health care, study says Nearly 600,000 Florida children lost their government-provided health insurance last year after the federal government ended the national COVID-related health emergency, more than any other state except Texas, according to a newly released report by the Georgetown Center for Children and Families.
Miami, FL – April 22, 2024 – WSVN 7- Mother charged with child neglect after dropping baby in water at Miami Beach while intoxicated, police say
A judge on Monday had words of advice for a mother accused of being under the influence while caring for her young child.
St. Petersburg, FL – April 10, 2024 – WPLG Local 10- DeSantis signs 5 bills to crack down on sexual predators Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a press conference in St. Petersburg Wednesday morning.
Tampa, FL – March 24, 2024 – News Channel 8- Toddler suffers 2nd, 3rd degree burns at Florida day care, family says A 10-month-old in Central Florida faces months of recovery, surgeries, and treatments after 30% of his body was burned while at day care, NBC affiliate WESH reported.
Chicago, IL – March 8, 2024 – The Center Square- Legislator questions whether new DCFS director brings needed changes Concern is growing that conditions at the long-troubled Illinois Department of Children Family Services may be getting worse for many of its abused or neglected children.
Largo, FL – March 6, 2024 – Fox 35 Orlando- Parents arrested after fleeing with 3 children from Largo custody meeting: Police Two parents were arrested and booked into the Pinellas County jail after taking off with their three children from a mandatory visit at the Department of Children and Families office in Largo.
Miami, FL – February 5, 2024 – The Miami Herald- Florida man who faced death penalty over child sex abuse takes life-in-prison plea deal Though Florida prosecutors sought the death penalty for a man accused of sexually abusing a child, making use of a new law Gov. Ron DeSantis signed last year, the accused man instead pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.
Miami, FL – January 31, 2024 – The Miami Herald- After Herald investigation, women report coach’s alleged sexual abuse to Key Biscayne police A woman who says she was repeatedly sexually abused 13 years ago by a Key Biscayne gymnastics coach finally told her story to police on Tuesday.
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