We are champions for the rights and liberties of Indiana’s children.
Child Advocates serves children and youth statewide who have experienced abuse and neglect. We champion and advocate for justice and racial equity in child welfare in all communities to build a better future for all children. Our commitment is to listen to children and be their voice, standing up for their liberties and working tirelessly to keep them safe and secure with an opportunity to thrive.
We are a welcoming agency to the LGBTQ+ community.
In our 40th anniversary year, we held a “Vision and Values” reception to thank our supporters and our founders. The Indianapolis Section of the National Council of Jewish Women birthed our nonprofit in 1982.
In this “Sharing Our Values-Championing Our Children” video, we honor our roots and the path we have been forging for decades to help tens of thousands of children, who faced abuse and neglect, find a safe and secure home. Today, we continue to stand up for youth, equity, and justice for children and youth across Indiana.
This video was created with special thanks to The Herbert Simon Family Foundation.
An educator talks about the impact of our Educational Liaisons program and its leader, Donna Walker, in helping children who face abuse or mental health challenges succeed in school:
One of our dedicated supporters, who also volunteers for some of our programs, shares what connects us all including many of you:
Child Advocates offers vital programs and services for vulnerable children and youth statewide through a race equity lens. We serve children and youth, in the child welfare system, who have experienced abuse and neglect. We advocate for racial equity in child welfare and our communities. And we connect families who have children with serious mental health and behavioral challenges to a state-funded wraparound program for help and hope. We fight for justice, equity, and wellness for every child and we want to help build them a better future.
We fulfill our mission through five key programs: Children’s Mental Health Program, Direct Representation, Interrupting Racism for Children, Mediation and Facilitation, and Legal Services.
And we will do whatever it takes to help them…taking the lead with innovative programs in child welfare and in communities across Indiana that can help transform their lives. So how do we do it? Who better to tell our story than some of the children we serve? Hear directly from some of them about what it means to have a child advocate give them a voice for their future. And hear how, you, too, can join us and be a child advocate.
We help children of all ages, races, ethnicities, genders, and socio-economic backgrounds. Children with irresistible grins, vivid imaginations, and incredible potential. A gift to Child Advocates helps protect the rights of our community’s most vulnerable youth.
Children living in foster care lose 6 to 8 months of academic achievement every time they change foster homes. Volunteer as a Child Advocate to help them stay connected to school and learning.
Four is the number of homes a child will likely live in during their first year in foster care.
29,000 children are currently in Indiana’s foster care system.
