About Us

Children's Charter Of The Courts Of Michigan addresses a variety of child and family concerns through:

• General Education Efforts
• Professional and Technical Training
• Assisting Communities in Developing Services & Programs
• Public Policy Advocacy

Our efforts are best designed and practically executed thanks to participation by a broad variety of committed volunteers.

Children's Charter is the home of:

• Prevent Child Abuse Michigan (State co-chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America, with the Children's Trust Fund)

• Michigan Association of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
• Two Certified Healthy Family America Trainers

Our goal is to establish a full continuum of effective and timely services for children and families in each of the following areas:

• Family Support Programs. For all families — especially those with burdens and challenges beyond the norm.
• Family Preservation Services. For families where abuse or neglect has occurred but removal of children has not been deemed necessary.
• Family Reunification Services. When appropriate, to address the family issues that resulted in the children's removal from home.
• Permanency Planning Services (When termination of parental rights is necessary). To find alternative, safe and permanent homes for the children.
• Adoption and Post-Adoption Services. To assure that families who adopt are informed and supported in the adoption process, and provided with easily available and quality services after the adoption.

In 1959, Michigan's Probate Judges created a Children's Bill of Rights. Their underlying philosophy was that each child needs both a supportive family and a concerned community. Troubled children — and those in trouble — required the help of skilled professionals. The judges then created a nonprofit, independent advocacy group to address issues underlying the growing numbers of child abuse, neglect, delinquency and related cases coming before them. For the past forty years, Children's Charter has followed six core beliefs and worked with the court system, policy makers, human service providers and others to address the needs of children and their families. Children's Charter is a longtime advocate of protective services for children, youth assistance programs, diversion efforts and judicial training. The ideas of family preservation and prevention of child abuse were major concerns of Children's Charter fully 25 years ago. Our recent program thrust has been permanency planning — ensuring each child the right to a permanent, safe family in an expeditious manner.

You can learn more about our work by reading through the program and issue descriptions within this Web site.

It is our hope that you find this site useful. Visit here often, to keep abreast of this rapidly-changing arena. Your feedback is always welcome (use the Contact/Support Us button); please let us know what you find of value, as well as what could be improved. 

Our Mission

The mission of Children's Charter is to ameliorate those conditions that result in children coming into contact with the courts, unnecessarily lengthens their time of court involvement, or places them at risk of such contact.

Our Beliefs

These beliefs guide and sustain our work. We believe children are society's greatest assets.

• Children should be the number one priority in Michigan
• Children have a right to be free from abuse and neglect
• Children need to live within a caring family and community
• Children have unique needs and require specialized systems and services to deal with them
• Children and families need a continuum of services: prevention, early education, treatment, rehabilitation, aftercare and support
• Children's organizations should have sensitive, knowledgeable, caring and professional staff who are highly trained

Funding and Support

We are funded by a mix of public, private and foundation support. Please see the Contact/Support Us page for more information.

BACK TO THE TOP

Permanency Planning Mediation Report

Michigan's Zero - Three Secondary Prevention Fiscal Year 2006 Report: Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention Outcomes & Return on Investment

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Hon. Lisa Sullivan
PRESIDENT

Hon. Susan Dobrich     VICE PRESIDENT

Richard Kerbawy
SECRETARY/TREASURER

Hon. Judy Hartsfield

Hon. Susan L. Reck     Hon. Megan Maher Brennan

Hon. Frederick Mulhauser

Hon. Leslie Kim Smith  

Hon. Frank Szymanski

Hon. Eugene I. Turkelson
 

©CHILDREN'S CHARTER.

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