Every child who needs an advocate should have one.

Resources and Publications

Labeled - Youth Speak Out About Barriers to Education

TeamChild joined a partnership in 2010 with the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration and other community organizations.  The LEAP project is a juvenile offender reentry initiative that has a goal of connecting youth to education and employment after they are released from incarceration.  TeamChild staff produced a video designed to increase community awareness around the educational barriers facing youth transitioning out of detention and long-term incarceration.  The video captures the experiences of youth, including those recently released from incarceration, and their educational goals and challenges.

What Every Parent Needs To Know

TeamChild worked with the Office of the Education Ombudsman to adapt our education advocacy training materials. OEO published four handbooks for parents in 2008, which are available in Spanish and English on their website.

Education Advocacy Manual

TeamChild collaborated with Casey Family Programs, the state and National CASA programs, and Treehouse to publish a comprehensive Education Advocacy Manual aimed at increasing the quality of education advocacy for children in foster care. This manual is available electronically to anyone in Washington State, free of charge, and has helped countless advocates and caregivers to be better advocates for their child’s education. If you would like to purchase a hard-copy manual, please complete our Manual Order Form (below) and mail it with your payment.

While there is a special focus on the needs of foster children in the manual, the breadth of information it covers makes it an invaluable resource for anyone who wishes to advocate for a child's education. Included are chapters covering basic education rights, special education law, discipline, and resources for young people transitioning to adulthood. Also included is an extensive resource guide with links to Washington State and federal education law.

Download the entire manual in PDF form from the TeamChild website here.

Education Advocacy Manual Order Form (PDF)

Defending Youth in Truancy Hearings

TeamChild and the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington Foundation released a manual in 2008.  While this manual is intended to be a resource for attorneys, it provides information on truancy and education law in Washington State that may be of interest to the general public. 

Defending Youth in Truancy Hearings, A Practice Manual for Attorneys (PDF)

TeamChild Info Brochure 2011

Download the TeamChild brochure if you would like a general overview of our services for youth.

TeamChild Info Brochure 2011 (PDF)