MISSION
Children’s Legal Services of San Diego, Inc. protects and defends the rights of children and youth in San Diego County through quality and compassionate legal advocacy. CLSSD provides a voice for children and youth in and out of the court system, in order to promote positive direction in their lives, for a positive outcome in their future. Our highly-skilled attorneys, investigators, and support staff strive to ensure safety, well-being and future success of our clients; they advocate for family reunification, permanence, educational opportunity, health and mental health services, and self-sufficiency. CLSSD utilizes a multi-disciplinary, independent, and informed approach to advocacy.
WHAT WE DO
Dependency Advocacy Program: Our primary function is the legal representation of children and youth at every Juvenile Dependency proceeding from detention through permanency. Within the court process, we identify and request services for our clients, including advocating for their educational, developmental, physical and mental health needs. We also establish and maintain relationships with our clients so that we, too, can be another stable adult figure in their lives.
VALUE STATEMENTS
• We advocate for the protection, safety, stability, and physical and emotional well-being of each child.
• We view children within the context of their families and believe children deserve loving and lasting relationships. • We promote the integrity and dignity of each child. • We ensure consistent, effective, and quality representation for each client. • We ensure that our clients have an effective voice and the ability to participate in legal proceedings.
• We educate our clients about their rights and the legal process. • We conduct thorough and independent investigations to best represent our clients. • We are committed to increasing positive outcomes for children by engaging community partners. • We recruit, train and retain committed and talented professionals. • We value a supportive, respectful and collaborative work environment. • We are a family-friendly workplace.