What is FCA?

Child Advocacy Blog

Search

Archive for January, 2009

Abused Florida Foster Children Win Landmark Civil Rights Decision

January 30th, 2009   No Comments   Damage Claims, Foster Care

In a precedent setting decision, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta upheld the right of three Florida foster children to sue for their sexual abuse in foster care.

In H.A.L. v. Foltz,  two adolescent and teenage foster kids known to be sexual predators were left unsupervised with three pre-school-aged foster children in the same home. The youngsters reportedly were repeatedly raped by the older boys. The 11th Circuit Court in Atlanta let stand a civil rights action brought by the younger boys.

“This decision represents a landmark win in the fight to protect foster children from child on child sexual abuse in foster care,” said attorney Howard Talenfeld, Shareholder with Colodny, Fass, Talenfeld, Karlinsky, & Abate PA.

Shortly after the opinion was released, the case, including the state court action for negligence, settled for $2.925 million for the three children.

(more…)

Auto Tag Drives the Message Home: Florida Kids Deserve Justice

January 15th, 2009   No Comments   Funding

kidsdeservejustice_plateIf you believe in supporting the justice needs of Florida’s kids, drive the message home.

Order the KIDS DESERVE JUSTICE specialty Florida license plate today or at your regular renewal time. The $25 plate cost is a charitable contribution to The Florida Bar Foundation. Every dollar goes to supporting grants for children’s legal services.

The Kids Deserve Justice specialty license plate funds free legal services to low-income children in Florida, helping them reach their full potential. Examples of these services include legal representation for abused and neglected children, legal help for children transitioning out of foster care or legal assistance for children needing special education testing or access to health care.

No administrative costs will be deducted by The Florida Bar Foundation.

For assistance or information, contact Shannon Stankiewicz at KDJ@flabarfndn.org.

Support Florida’s kids by driving the message home today!

Message to Florida Legislators: Protect the Children

January 5th, 2009   No Comments   Funding

This is an editorial from today’s Ft. Myers News Press. As the Florida Legislature begins a special session, the needs of certain residents should be kept far from the chopping block…

Legislators seeking ways to save money should save the children and spare  the most vulnerable residents from cuts.

That’s our mantra as the Florida Legislature begins a challenging two-week special session today to plug a gaping $2.3 billion shortfall in the current  budget.

With the economy blowing holes in the spending plans of every government, business, family and organization in the country, it’s with great reluctance  that we urge any spending program be kept off the cutting table.

But we do so for child protective services, mostly under the Department of Children and Families-and we urge you to contact our leaders in Tallahassee and do the same.

It’s not that education, health, law enforcement, roads, seniors and the environment aren’t essential service areas. They are, but the protection of vulnerable children cannot be diminished or postponed until the economy recovers. It’s a society’s most basic moral responsibility, as we see it. (more…)