Please see below statement regarding the winding down of The Child’s Advocate
Since 2008, The Child’s Advocate has provided dedicated representation to more than 400 Wake and Durham County children in high-conflict custody battles involving domestic violence, child abuse, substance abuse, parental mental instability, relocation, and/or special needs. For the past 11 years, The Child’s Advocate has operated as a regional project of Legal Aid of North Carolina. Its model of direct representation, which remains unique, is now being replicated on a national scale. In response to four years of declining domestic violence grant funding across the state, we made the difficult decision to sunset The Child’s Advocate project by August 31, 2025.
Effective immediately, The Child’s Advocate will no longer accept new appointments. Existing clients will continue to receive representation until their cases are resolved, or their matters will be transitioned to trained pro bono attorney volunteers. Current pro bono volunteers and experienced family law attorneys who are willing to help should contact probono@legalaidnc.org to express interest.
Moving forward, Legal Aid of North Carolina will continue to support children within the context of family violence cases, focusing on critical issues such as child custody, child support, and protective orders. This transition does not diminish the importance or impact of The Child’s Advocate program, whose direct representation model has significantly shaped family court outcomes.
“I am incredibly proud of the work we’ve done,” said Managing Attorney and Project Director Atiya Mosley. “Our small but dedicated team has always strived for excellence in advocating for the voices of children. It is with a heavy heart that we must wind down this important program. While this chapter closes, our commitment to children’s rights remains steadfast.”
Legal Aid of North Carolina CEO Ashley Campbell echoed this sentiment: “The fact that we cannot continue The Child’s Advocate is a huge disappointment, but at the same time, we celebrate the program’s accomplishments and the families whose lives were positively impacted by this work.”
The Child’s Advocate expresses its deepest gratitude to its partners, donors, volunteers, the judiciary and the wider community for their support over the years. The program was fortunate to be led by passionate advocates, including founder Sally Scherer, who paved the way for child representation in Wake County Family Court, and Suzanne Chester, who directed the project for many years. Special thanks also go to former Legal Aid of North Carolina ED George Hausen and Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Chief Legal Officer Celia Pistolis for accepting The Child’s Advocate as a Legal Aid of North Carolina program.
“We have been fortunate to collaborate with many talented family law attorneys who have generously volunteered their time, as well as members of our advisory board who have remained committed to The Child’s Advocate’s mission since its founding,” Mosley added. “Our donors’ support has made a lasting impact, and we hope that one day we will be able to resume this essential work for children in need.”
While TCA’s services may be winding down, its legacy in advocating for children’s rights and ensuring that children have a voice in their own futures will continue to inspire and inform future efforts to protect children in the legal system. Donations in honor of The Child’s Advocate and its work over the years may be made here.
About
The Child’s Advocate is a project of Legal Aid of North Carolina that provides attorneys for children in highly contested private custody cases. We are appointed by judges in family court in Wake and Durham counties to represent children in cases with the following: domestic violence, child abuse or mistreatment, substance abuse or mental instability of a parent, relocation of a parent, or a child with special needs.
By working with the parents and their attorneys, we settle most of our cases without the need for a trial. But when a trial is necessary, we present evidence and call witnesses so that the Court learns about the child’s experience, concerns and preferences.
Our role is different from that of a guardian ad litem (GAL). Instead of deciding what is best for our clients, we investigate and advocate for what our clients believe is best for them. To do this, we collaborate with mental health providers so we can better understand our clients’ perspectives and preferences. Throughout our representation of our clients, we maintain a confidential attorney-client relationship.
The Child’s Advocate recruits and trains pro bono attorneys from the private family law bar to ensure that we have the resources to represent every child appointed an attorney.
Our hope is to gradually expand our services to additional counties in North Carolina.
Learn more about The Child’s Advocate.
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