Support Center for Child Advocates - Pro bono services for Philadelphia's abused children: How You Can Help

Become a Volunteer Attorney
The Support Center for Child Advocates teams Volunteer Attorneys with Child Advocate Social Workers to represent abused and neglected children in Philadelphia. A victim services agency, we work together with other professionals to secure needed services and ensure the safety of every child in our care, with the ultimate goal of securing a permanent, nurturing environment for each one.

The Volunteer Attorney and Child Advocate Social Worker share responsibilities and work as a team. Volunteer Attorneys typically visit their child-clients at least four times a year, appear in court every three to six months, attend meetings periodically, and make frequent phone calls to ensure services are implemented.
As a Volunteer Attorney, you do not have to know family law. Child Advocates requires prospective volunteers to attend a full-day of training which covers the basics of child welfare practice and victim services. You will also learn about the child welfare system from the Child Advocate Social Worker who works with you in representing the child. We serve as a voice for what our children want and need.
You do not need to be a litigator to become a Volunteer Attorney but you do need to be willing to appear in court and be an active voice for your client. Much of the work in representing children is done outside of court — attending meetings, visiting the child's home, and making phone calls.
We estimate that Volunteer Attorneys spend 2 to 10 hours a month working on Child Advocates' cases. The amount of time you will work on a case depends on the case and varies while the case is open. During the first month, the case will require home visits and court appearances. Later, the case may stabilize and require less time.
It is beneficial for our child-clients to have the same lawyer representing them over time because so many other people in their lives may change. The duration of cases vary. A typical case could last approximately 3 years. Volunteer Attorneys are encouraged to represent the child throughout the duration of the case.

Donations
Each year the Support Center for Child Advocates raises most of the dollars that fund our work. It costs us approximately $1300 to serve each child for a year. Please consider helping us by making a tax deductible donation.

DIRECT SERVICES: Ensures that your gift is used for provision of services to our children.

CAPITAL AND ENDOWMENT CAMPAIGN: Allows you to contribute to the purchase and renovation of our new home and long-term support of our programs—a gift that will keep giving for years to come!

To make your online donation through Network for Good, click here or click the Donate Now text found on the left side of every page. Network for Good also allows you to make a memorial gift or other designation for your contribution. When you come to that section of the donation page, you may wish to enter one of the above categories.

If you prefer to mail or fax your donation, click here for a form which you can print.