THE COMMUNITY IS THE KEY

THE CENTER HAS PIONEERED a model of University-Community collaboration in advocacy for social reform. The Center hosts and supports the Interdisciplinary Task Force, a broad coalition of representatives from community based organizations, advocacy groups, and Fordham faculty and students-as well as parents and youth who are involved in the foster care system, thus combining the technical expertise and research resources of the university with the energy and drive of community members to find new ways of helping children and families in need.

Due to the University's reputation for neutrality and excellence, we are frequently able to bring government officials to the table to address the community's ideas and concerns and to work collaboratively to find solutions. Current areas of focus include:

• Mandatory Reporting
• Parent Representation in Family Court
• Independent Child Advocate Office

Drawing on over two decades of combined experience in the New York City Family Court, the Center's faculty and staff have been focusing on ways that the court process can be strengthened. Various studies have identified the critical need for lawyers, social workers, and mental helath professionals to collaborate more effectively in order to provide the best service possible to children and families in this highly emotional environment. The Center is actively working on a number of projects that would significantly enhance the voices of young people in their own court cases and that would improve the overall functioning of the Family Court.