Empowering Children and Young People in Foster Care

Mention the words “Silicon Valley” and the world pictures wealth: big tech, IPOs, fortunes minted before lunch. Yet for many children growing up here, access to opportunity is far less certain. The region’s prosperity has not translated into stability, safety, or a fair chance for every child.

Alexis Moody shares: “Kids in crisis are growing up in a place that looks like it should have more to offer them, but it doesn’t.” Moody is the Directing Attorney of Legal Advocates for Children and Youth, or LACY, the children’s program of the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley. 

When a child enters foster care because of abuse, neglect, or a parent’s inability to provide reliable care, they are under the jurisdiction of the court. A Law Foundation attorney is appointed to represent essentially every child at no cost to the child or their family. “Our only job is to represent the needs and rights of the child,” Moody says. 

These kids are keenly aware of what they’re missing – not just material things, but the stability, opportunities, and support that every child needs to thrive and build a successful future. In a perfect world, children in foster care would receive swift and comprehensive support. But the reality is not so simple.

“Having an attorney gives them a voice,” continues Moody. “A lawyer can stand up for a child who is not getting what they’re entitled to and opens up doors, sometimes almost immediately.”

The Law Foundation provides free legal services to people facing poverty, inequity, and other barriers to justice. The LACY program focuses on children and young adults, providing free and confidential legal assistance from birth to age 25. Last year, the program carried more than 2,000 active cases. 

Support can continue for years, from childhood into early adulthood. Former foster youth receive assistance through the key years just past age 18 as they navigate the complex challenges of housing, employment, and financial stability.

What makes the model more powerful and highly trauma-focused is that no attorney works alone. Lawyers are paired with Law Foundation social workers who assess the child’s complete well-being. Personalized plans address issues like safety, health, and education and may include therapy, tutoring, or specialized interventions. “Let’s fill out this CalFresh application so you can start getting some help with food expenses,” Moody shares as one example.

Foster youth are the largest group of young people served by the Law Foundation’s LACY team, and yet, it is the most underfunded youth program. The gap between the need and the resources available means donor support is critical to ensuring that children and young adults can continue to have an advocate when they need one most. 

“The law and the protections of the law are a check on power,” Moody says. “For young people in foster care, that protection can be life changing.” A lawyer can help a child get the services they are entitled to, challenge decisions that put their future at risk, and connect them to the resources they need to move into a successful adulthood. Because a child’s circumstances should not determine the limits of their future.