The Children’s Voice Project
The Children’s Voice Project (CVP) is our trailblazing community engagement program. Launched in 2024 by a former CLC client, the Project aims to spread awareness about children’s rights, needs and participation in Family Court.
What gets decided in Family Court? What is an Attorney for the Child? What will happen to my family?
These are questions that our young clients regularly have—in fact, plenty of adults don’t understand how Family Court works nor what CLC as an organization does!
The Children’s Voice Project provides a forum for youth who have been the subject children in contested custody, domestic violence and/or guardianship proceedings to help shape the conversation around Family Court, family law and what children need to thrive.
Young people join the CVP as Fellows, receiving a stipend to conduct community outreach and create child-first educational materials.
Where we work
Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx
Who we serve
Children and youth involved in Family Court as well as the broader community
What we do
Create educational materials, lead community workshops, and advocate for children’s rights in Family Court
How the Children’s Voice Project works
At the heart of the Children’s Voice Project are our Fellows—young people over the age of 16 who have experienced Family Court first-hand. We recruit fellows through direct contact and engagement with our services and materials.
Our young leaders receive a stipend to create resources, lead outreach, and provide peer support. The resources they create are made by young people for young people.
Fellows have produced:
- A colorful Activity Booklet for smaller children introducing them to key Family Court terminology and concepts
- Educational pamphlets explaining the concepts of custody, visitation, guardianship and In Camera interviews
- A six-episode video series called Court Smart that delves into Family Court concepts more deeply
In addition, Fellows speak at trainings and events to educate attorneys and judges on youth perspectives; they also advocate for policy changes to make Family Court more fair for children.
CVP Director Jahlia Hernandez speaking at the 2026 State of the Judiciary
“Our main goal is to educate and organize other court-involved young people about their rights. We hope to empower youth to use their voices and advocate for positive change.”
Jahlia Hernandez
Why children’s voices matter
Children involved in Family Court don’t often have a say in decisions that affect their lives. Many experience family instability, unsafe living situations, and a lack of social services to help them cope.
While other youth leadership boards exist within various NYC organizations that organize children in the child welfare system, none include children involved in custody, visitation, or guardianship cases. This is a group often overlooked due to the misconception that they are not impacted by larger systemic issues–many of our clients, however, have been involved in violent family offenses and exposed to intense conflicts that impact their lives and futures
The Children’s Voice Project was created to change that. The CVP aims to reduce the negative impact of family problems and court involvement on young people as well as equip them with the tools and confidence to spread community awareness and ask for political change.
Through education and advocacy, the CVP:
- Equips children with knowledge about their rights
- Gives youth a space to process their experiences
- Creates and shares materials and sources
- Advocates for changes to improve Family Court for children
Our Second Year
In 2025, the Children’s Voice Project:
Recruited and trained 3 CVP fellows
Created the six-episode Court Smart video series to explain Family Court terminology and an educational pamphlet about In Camera interviews (private interviews with a judge).
Distributed 1,000+ copies of educational materials to children, families, and attorneys across our NYC offices
Presented at the 88th Annual Conference of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court judges with a presentation titled, “Making the Case for Client-Directed Child Representation in Family Court.”
Partnered with the education nonprofit Global Kids to conduct a “Know Your Rights in Family Court” workshop with high schoolers in The Bronx
What’s Next for the CVP
In 2026, the Project aims to:
- Expand our network of youth leaders
- Conduct weekly tabling sessions in the lobbies of CLC’s borough offices during to promote engagement with clients
- Create an interactive journal for clients in which they can take notes during their meetings with CLC attorneys or social workers while being inspired by quotes of empowerment
- Create an informational sheet describing the different actors in Family Court and the degree of client privilege they possess
- Host a graduation celebration event for clients to recruit new Fellows
- Continue our advocacy efforts with policymakers and judges
- Partner with more organizations involved in youth representation
Want to get involved? If you’re a young person who has been through Family Court – or an interested volunteer or potential partner – please get in touch.
Interested in supporting the Children’s Voice Project? Make a 100% tax-deductible donation today.
