By the time a crisis arises, young people inhabit an incredibly complex space of intersecting laws, agencies, and rules. We offer training and consulting to build a community of advocates who are equipped to stand with youth to overcome institutional obstacles and clear the path to a bright future.
Too many young people experience layers of challenges over time and have trouble getting the kinds of supports all youth need to thrive. Children get kicked out of school. They find themselves homeless. They end up in juvenile detention.
As parents, mentors, and advocates, it’s difficult to identify and access the needed services and supports. Education, juvenile justice, public healthcare, and other systems are filled with roadblocks along the way – denials, delays, and disruptions.
TeamChild doesn’t try to make these systems more efficient, we aim to make them work for youth and their advocates, by doing the following:
- Developing self-help resources and provide trainings about the law for youth, caregivers, and partners who want to help youth assert their rights and want tools to be effective navigators
- Offering professional consultations when partners who serve youth need guidance and help troubleshooting difficult situations
- Developing resources and offer trainings for people working in systems — teachers, probation counselors, mental health counselors — who want a better understanding of youth rights and who want to be in compliance with laws
Training Topics
When youth know their rights and how to fight for them, they are powerful agents for change. We offer a wide range of trainings that are tailored to best serve different audiences including youth, parents and caregivers, attorneys, judges, juvenile court professionals, and social service providers:
- Education rights, including school discipline and special education / Education in the Wake of COVID-19 (See our CALENDAR for upcoming training dates.)
- Rights to mental health services
- Juvenile justice system overview
- Representing youth clients
- Record sealing and restitution legal financial obligations
Making Education Equitable and Accessible
TeamChild has long addressed education access and equity for young people experiencing school discipline, enrollment and reengagement barriers, inadequate special education and related services, and discrimination. COVID-19 has intensified these issues for youth of color, youth with disabilities and youth with financial challenges. TeamChild staff members created this Education in the wake of COVID19 Know Your Rights Manual in English and Spanish and will be updating this resource and offering community listening sessions and training as we learn how schools are approaching the 2020-21 school year. An Appendix of Forms and Samples (November, 2020) provides tools for youth and families to communicate directly with their school or district office.