Legal
There is an intricate link between the Juvenile Court system and the Child Welfare system. In many ways, this relationship provides checks and balances that attempt to ensure birth parents’ rights and children’s rights are respected. The legal system is complicated (you can read an entire chapter about it in AOK’s guidebook), and the role of foster parents can be murky.
Hub Partner:
Visit the CPCS partner page for a wealth of additional resources about understanding the legal system in MA.
Related Resources:
- Understanding the Court System: Who's Who (AOK Guidebook excerpt)
- Understanding the Court Process: How a Case Progresses Through the System (AOK Guidebook excerpt)
- The Role of Foster Parents in Court (AOK Guidebook excerpt)
- Appeals, Hearings, and Other Terms (AOK Guidebook excerpt)
- Performance Standards for CAFL Attorneys
- Massachusetts Court-Appointed Special Advocates for Children