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  According to the 2014 U.S. census, 2.7 million grandparents are raising their grandchildren (up 7% since 2009). A fifth of those grandparents have incomes that fall below the poverty line.   What’s the reason for this sharp increase? While…

  Jacki Payne has been an Atlanta Legal Aid Lawyer for over 30 years and has dedicated her life's work to poverty law and standing in solidarity with her clients to help them achieve the best outcomes possible. Jacki, who…

  According to the report by Generations United, “for every child in foster care, 20 are being raised by a family member”1. This reportedly saves taxpayers around $4 billion a year 2. The financial benefit is no small matter, but…

In the absence of a caring parent, children need legal guardians in order to get the services they need. Even when a relative is financially able to care for the child, without a legal relationship, it can be difficult to…

Quick Escape The long-term effects on children who witness domestic violence are well documented, and while this article will point to some of this research as context, the goal of this article is to highlight the way that early interventions—namely…

Quick Escape We know that leaving an abuser is hard, but there is help. If you are a victim of domestic violence, seek legal protection. It can make a difference.   The Family Violence Act provides legal protection to victims…

Quick Escape Domestic violence is a society-wide issue that affects people of every race, class, and gender. With this in mind, we all have a responsibility to help stop domestic violence, especially considering the struggles that domestic violence victims face…

Quick Escape While domestic violence is illegal in the U.S, many people do not seek help because they don’t believe that their situation is a legal issue, or that the law can actually provide help to victims. But studies show…

Quick Escape In the U.S., people are not legally entitled to a lawyer in civil (non-criminal) cases, no matter how dire the situation. That means that with cases concerning domestic violence, people must pay out of pocket or attempt to…