Our attorneys are appointed by the Juvenile Court or the Probate and Family Court to represent children and indigent parents in child welfare matters, including care and protection proceedings (C&P’s), children requiring assistance cases (CRA’s), actions to terminate parental rights, guardianships, and any other child custody proceeding where the Department of Children and Families (DCF) is a party or where the court is considering granting custody to DCF.
If you have questions about your case, you should first speak with your attorney. If you do not know who has been appointed to represent you, contact the clerk’s office in the Juvenile Court or Probate and Family Court where your case is being heard.
If you know the name of your attorney, but you do not know how to reach him or her, you can search our directory or the Board of Bar Overseers website.
Filing a Complaint
If you are unhappy with your legal representation and want to file a formal complaint, you may submit the CAFL Complaint Form below to our administrative office. One of our administrative staff members will contact you to discuss your complaint.
- By Telephone: Contact Drew Don, CAFL Trial Panel Director, (617) 910-5838.
- By Electronic or Regular Mail: Please submit the complaint form electronically to the email address listed on the form. You may also mail the complaint form or submit a written complaint to the attention of: Drew Don, CAFL Trial Panel Director, Committee for Public Counsel Services, 75 Federal Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02110. An administrative staff member will contact you to discuss the complaint.
Resources for Parents
- Guide to Care and Protection Proceedings in the Juvenile Court
- Juvenile Court Handbook for Parents, Legal Guardians and Custodians in Child Requiring Assistance (CRA) Cases
- Parents Helping Parents
- Kids and the Law: A User’s Guide to the Juvenile Court
- Los Menores y la Ley: Una Guia de Referencia del Sistema Juridico, 4th edition
- Common Phrases in DCF/Care and Protection Cases
Resources for Youth
- DCF Adolescent Services
- Foster Care to Success (America’s college fund for foster youth)
- Foster Child Grant Program (scholarship program for DCF involved youth)
- Job Corps (information for young adults 16+)
- Kids and the Law: A User’s Guide to the Juvenile Court/
Los Menores y la Ley: Una Guia de Referencia del Sistema Juridico, 4th edition - Common Phrases in DCF/Care and Protection Cases
Additional Resources
- Edlaw Project (helpful resources regarding education rights and services)
- Immigration Impact Unit (immigration questions and resources)
- Social Services/Social Work
Helpful Websites
- ACS Adolescent Consultation Services
- Children’s Law Center
- Department of Children and Families
- Department of Education
- Department of Mental Health
- Department of Transitional Assistance
- Department of Youth Services
- Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
- Massachusetts Legal Help
- Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission
- Parents Helping Parents
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