Child Welfare

MLRI is a leading independent child welfare advocate and agency watchdog both in Massachusetts and nationally.

Our child welfare advocacy promotes policies and practices that protect low-income children and families, communities of color, individuals with disabilities and LGBTQ youth from harms caused by child welfare system involvement, enhance family well-being, and reduce or end unnecessary involvement with the child welfare system.

Our child welfare advocacy focuses on:

• Coordinating the Family Preservation Project which provides legal representation and advocacy in five legal services programs throughout the state to stabilize families and prevent foster system placements, 
• Serving in a leadership role in the Massachusetts Child Welfare Coalition, which brings together advocates from around the state who focus on seeking meaningful change to the child welfare system on behalf of children and families.
• Engaging in legislative advocacy and litigation to prevent harms to children and families that occur as a result of unwarranted DCF intervention, surveillance, and removal of children.
• Advancing policies and programs that provide low-income and other children and families at risk of child welfare system involvement access to community-based supports, financial support, and safety, without child welfare system involvement.