Kidlaw

ACNJ

Navigating child and family law can feel overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. Our YouTube channel and podcast program are designed with you in mind, delivering clear, digestible breakdowns of the laws, regulations, and government programs that affect children and families at every level: federal, state, and local. No legal jargon. No confusion. Just real information you can actually use.

Our signature Whiteboard Explainer Videos walk you through everything from landmark Supreme Court decisions and upcoming legislation to benefits programs and advocacy resources. Every whiteboard video is also available as a podcast on Apple or Spotify, so you can tune in if you prefer to learn on the go. No screen required.

Kidlaw's content also powers the Digital Content Kits used by community seminar leaders across the country — so what you're watching and listening to is the same trusted material being used in classrooms, churches, and community centers everywhere.

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Yesterday · 15 min
USA Uninterrupted Scholars Act
USA Uninterrupted Scholars Act Four schools in one year. That is the reality for many children in foster care — and a 2013 federal law was written to stop the churn. On January 14, 2013, Congress passed the Uninterrupted Scholars Act, amending FERPA so a child's education records can finally travel as fast as the child does. This broadcast unpacks what changed, who it protects, and how it plays out in courtrooms, front offices, and classrooms. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. Why the Act became Public Law 112-278 in January 2013 2. How it amends FERPA, the 1974 student privacy statute 3. When schools may release records without parental consent 4. Which agencies and tribal organizations actually qualify 5. How the clarified court order exception works in practice 6. Why parents already in a case receive no duplicative notice 7. What confidentiality and redisclosure limits agencies face 8. How faster records speed juvenile dependency proceedings 9. What administrators must document with every disclosure 10. How ESSA, IDEA guidance and FAFSA updates widened its reach A caseworker who cannot get a transcript cannot get a child enrolled. This law removes that hurdle, letting districts hand grades, attendance, and IEPs directly to the agency legally responsible for a student's care and protection. We trace the six key provisions, the courtroom consequences, and the administrative duties that come attached — including the five-year lockout for improper redisclosure. We also examine what the statute does not do: it never strips a parent's own right to their child's records, and it does not cover children served by an agency but never placed in foster care. One goal throughout — education that does not stop when a placement does. Learn more about USA Uninterrupted Scholars Act by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/03/13/usa-uninterrupted-scholars-actaa-lrp-type-post-template/ SOCIAL & WEB LINKS Kidlaw Official Website - https://Kidlaw.org PODCAST LINKS Buzzsprout Link: https://kidlaw.buzzsprout.com Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlaw/id1896798336 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/033liLtlloBnXvjIJac6Z3?si=cbfc7e412df24c3c CONTACTS mcoogan@acnj.org - Mary Coogan, Esq. - Host of Let's Talk Kids | CEO of ACNJ npeckman@acnj.org - Nina Peckman, Esq. - Staff Attorney vjabon@acnj.org - Viggo Jabon - Multimedia Specialist at ACNJ Carter@DiedreMoire.com - Maxine E Carter - Producer #UninterruptedScholarsAct,#FosterCare,#FERPA,#PublicLaw112278,#EducationalStability,#ChildWelfare,#FosterYouth,#SchoolOfOrigin,#FosteringConnections,#JuvenileLaw,#DependencyCourt,#ChildAdvocacy,#EducationLaw,#StudentRecords,#SpecialEducation,#IDEA,#ESSA,#IEP,#Caseworkers,#SchoolEnrollment,#SchoolToPrisonPipeline,#JuvenileLawCenter,#ChildrensRights,#EducationPolicy,#ACNJ,#Kidlaw,#LetsTalkKids Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
- Transcript
Monday · 16 min
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 You had the skills. You had the experience. Before 1964, being turned away for who you are was perfectly legal. Title VII changed that forever. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. The five protected traits every covered U.S. employer must respect 2. Who Title VII reaches, and the 15-employee threshold that triggers it 3. Disparate treatment vs. disparate impact, explained in plain English 4. How the EEOC investigates, conciliates, and sues to enforce the law 5. Why Bostock (2020) extended coverage to LGBTQ+ workers nationwide 6. What schools, parents, and children gain from fair hiring practices Passed at the height of the civil rights movement, this single statute rewired American working life, reaching hiring, firing, training, promotion, pay, and benefits across private companies, government agencies, unions, and schools. It outlawed harassment and retaliation, gave victims back pay, reinstatement, attorney's fees, and damages, and became the template for the ADEA, the ADA, and GINA. Its reach keeps growing through amendments, EEOC guidance, and Supreme Court rulings. We break down how the law works, who it shields, why administrators treat it as a daily duty, and how its protections quietly follow a paycheck home to the family. Learn more about Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by visiting https://kidlaw.org/2026/03/13/title-vii-of-the-civil-rights-act-of-1964/ SOCIAL & WEB LINKS Kidlaw Official Website - https://Kidlaw.org PODCAST LINKS Buzzsprout Link: https://kidlaw.buzzsprout.com Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlaw/id1896798336 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/033liLtlloBnXvjIJac6Z3?si=cbfc7e412df24c3c CONTACTS mcoogan@acnj.org - Mary Coogan, Esq. - Host of Let's Talk Kids | CEO of ACNJ npeckman@acnj.org - Nina Peckman, Esq. - Staff Attorney vjabon@acnj.org - Viggo Jabon - Multimedia Specialist at ACNJ Carter@DiedreMoire.com - Maxine E Carter - Producer #TitleVII,#CivilRightsAct1964,#EmploymentLaw,#EEOC,#WorkplaceDiscrimination,#EqualOpportunity,#Bostock,#DisparateImpact,#Retaliation,#PregnancyDiscriminationAct,#SchoolAdministration,#ChildAdvocacy,#Kidlaw,#ACNJ,#LetsTalkKids,#KnowYourRights,#HRCompliance,#WorkplaceHarassment,#EquityPlans,#LaborRights Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
- Transcript
Saturday · 17 min
SOSA Securing Our Schools Act
SOSA Securing Our Schools Act How do we keep the children inside a school building safe? SOSA answers with steel doors, badges, and counselors — the answer is still being written. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. Why the Securing Our Schools Act keeps returning to Congress 2. Five pillars: hardware, SROs, funding, counseling, and training 3. How each SRO hired may add 2.5 in-school arrests per year 4. The school-to-prison pipeline critique and civil rights risks 5. New duties for principals: grants, compliance, parent alerts 6. The bills steering federal school security law through 2033 SOSA is less a single statute than a recurring idea, revived across sessions with sponsors including Senator Ted Cruz and a 2023 vehicle numbered S.1082. We trace the money — reauthorized Nonprofit Security Grant dollars, redirected COVID-19 relief, unused State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds — into hallways, where single-point entry, surveillance, anonymous tip apps, and threat assessment teams reshape daily life. Then we weigh the divide: law enforcement unions and hardening advocates on one side, Sandy Hook Promise and restorative-justice groups on the other, with the PLAN for School Safety Act attempting a bridge between them. Learn more about SOSA Securing Our Schools Act by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/03/12/sosa-securing-our-schools-act/ SOCIAL & WEB LINKS Kidlaw Official Website - https://Kidlaw.org PODCAST LINKS Buzzsprout Link: https://kidlaw.buzzsprout.com Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlaw/id1896798336 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/033liLtlloBnXvjIJac6Z3?si=cbfc7e412df24c3c CONTACTS mcoogan@acnj.org - Mary Coogan, Esq. - Host of Let's Talk Kids | CEO of ACNJ npeckman@acnj.org - Nina Peckman, Esq. - Staff Attorney vjabon@acnj.org - Viggo Jabon - Multimedia Specialist at ACNJ Carter@DiedreMoire.com - Maxine E Carter - Producer #SOSA,#SecuringOurSchoolsAct,#SchoolSafety,#SchoolResourceOfficer,#SchoolSecurity,#SchoolToPrisonPipeline,#StudentMentalHealth,#ThreatAssessment,#K12,#EducationLaw,#ChildAdvocacy,#JuvenileJustice,#SchoolAdministration,#RestorativeJustice,#SchoolDiscipline,#FederalGrants,#SaferSchoolsAct,#PLANforSchoolSafety,#Kidlaw,#ACNJ Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
- Transcript
Friday · 15 min
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 One federal law reshaped every classroom, courtroom, and clinic taking federal money — and in 2024 it changed again. Here's what Section 504 means now. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. Who qualifies: impairments that limit major life activities 2. How a 504 Plan differs from IDEA and special education 3. FAPE, accommodations, and access to every school program 4. Why courts and child welfare agencies must adapt too 5. The 2024 HHS rule: web, app, and exam room accessibility 6. Key deadlines through 2027 and what recent rulings changed Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 bars disability discrimination by any recipient of federal funding. For students, that means individualized accommodations — extended time, seating changes, assistive technology, behavior plans — plus protection for hidden conditions like ADHD, diabetes, epilepsy, and mental health disorders. For administrators, it means annual child find, staff training, documentation, Manifestation Determination Reviews, and accessible buildings. For advocates, it means fighting for specific, enforced plans. The July 2024 HHS rule adds WCAG 2.1 AA digital standards, accessible medical equipment, and stronger child welfare safeguards, with deadlines into 2027. Learn more about Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/02/23/section-504-of-the-rehabilitation-act-of-1973/ SOCIAL & WEB LINKS Kidlaw Official Website - https://Kidlaw.org PODCAST LINKS Buzzsprout Link: https://kidlaw.buzzsprout.com Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlaw/id1896798336 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/033liLtlloBnXvjIJac6Z3?si=cbfc7e412df24c3c CONTACTS mcoogan@acnj.org - Mary Coogan, Esq. - Host of Let's Talk Kids | CEO of ACNJ npeckman@acnj.org - Nina Peckman, Esq. - Staff Attorney vjabon@acnj.org - Viggo Jabon - Multimedia Specialist at ACNJ Carter@DiedreMoire.com - Maxine E Carter - Producer #Section504,#RehabilitationAct,#504Plan,#DisabilityRights,#SpecialEducation,#FAPE,#IDEA,#ADA,#StudentRights,#ParentAdvocacy,#EducationLaw,#Accessibility,#WCAG,#ChildWelfare,#HiddenDisabilities,#ADHD,#SchoolAccommodations,#Kidlaw,#ACNJ,#LetsTalkKids Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
- Transcript
September 16 · 12 min
Private Schools vs Charter Schools
Private Schools vs Charter Schools One family wins a lottery for a free seat. Another signs a $13,000 tuition contract. Same dream, two different doors. Here's what truly divides them. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. Why a charter school is public and a private school never is 2. How charters trade autonomy for accountability under a contract 3. Where the money comes from: taxpayers, tuition, endowments, gifts 4. Admissions decoded: random lotteries versus SSAT and ISEE exams 5. Testing rules, disability law, closures, and the secular mandate 6. How vouchers and ESAs are blurring the line heading into 2027 Roughly 8,100 charter schools now teach nearly 4 million students across 46 states, while 29,700 private schools enroll about 4.7 million, 77% of them in religiously affiliated classrooms. Stanford's CREDO study clocked charter gains of sixteen extra days of reading learning each year. University of Arkansas researchers found charters operating on up to a third less per pupil. Tuition, meanwhile, runs from $5,000 at parish schools to more than $70,000 at elite boarding campuses. In May 2025 a deadlocked Supreme Court halted Oklahoma's bid for the first religious charter. In 2024 over a million students used school choice programs, and a federal scholarship arrives January 1, 2027. Learn more about Private Schools vs Charter Schools by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/03/10/private-schools-vs-charter-schools-the-difference/ SOCIAL & WEB LINKS Kidlaw Official Website - https://Kidlaw.org PODCAST LINKS Buzzsprout Link: https://kidlaw.buzzsprout.com Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlaw/id1896798336 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/033liLtlloBnXvjIJac6Z3?si=cbfc7e412df24c3c CONTACTS mcoogan@acnj.org - Mary Coogan, Esq. - Host of Let's Talk Kids | CEO of ACNJ npeckman@acnj.org - Nina Peckman, Esq. - Staff Attorney vjabon@acnj.org - Viggo Jabon - Multimedia Specialist at ACNJ Carter@DiedreMoire.com - Maxine E Carter - Producer #CharterSchools,#PrivateSchools,#SchoolChoice,#Education,#SchoolLottery,#Tuition,#PublicSchools,#EducationSavingsAccounts,#Vouchers,#KIPP,#CREDOStudy,#WaitingForSuperman,#ParentsGuide,#K12,#EducationPolicy,#Kidlaw,#ACNJ,#LetsTalkKids,#NewJersey,#StudentRights Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
- Transcript
September 14 · 11 min
NJECCE New Jersey’s Early Childhood Care and Education System
NJECCE New Jersey’s Early Childhood Care and Education System A four-year-old walks into a classroom for the very first time. What happens next shouldn't depend on which door she walked through — and in New Jersey, it doesn't. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. How the mixed delivery system unites three kinds of providers 2. Class size caps, adult-child ratios, and teacher salary parity 3. The Abbott v. Burke ruling that made full-day preschool law 4. How Grow NJ Kids rates programs from one to five stars 5. Comprehensive care: health, nutrition, social-emotional support 6. NJ-EASEL, e-Child Care, and paid apprenticeships for educators New Jersey's Early Childhood Care and Education system serves children from birth through third grade, built on two commitments held together rather than traded off: high standards and equity. Public school districts, Head Start centers, and licensed private community providers all answer to the same rigorous state rules, with oversight from the New Jersey Council for Young Children and the Department of Education's Division of Early Childhood Services. Curricula must be research-based and aligned to state learning standards, while integrated data systems track child development, workforce qualifications, and program impact. The result is a structure assembled court decision by court decision, classroom by classroom — and it is still being built. Learn more about NJ ECCE New Jersey’s Early Childhood Care and Education by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/03/18/njecce-new-jerseys-early-childhood-care-and-education/ SOCIAL & WEB LINKS Kidlaw Official Website - https://Kidlaw.org PODCAST LINKS Buzzsprout Link: https://kidlaw.buzzsprout.com Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlaw/id1896798336 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/033liLtlloBnXvjIJac6Z3?si=cbfc7e412df24c3c CONTACTS mcoogan@acnj.org - Mary Coogan, Esq. - Host of Let's Talk Kids | CEO of ACNJ npeckman@acnj.org - Nina Peckman, Esq. - Staff Attorney vjabon@acnj.org - Viggo Jabon - Multimedia Specialist at ACNJ Carter@DiedreMoire.com - Maxine E Carter - Producer #NJECCE,#EarlyChildhoodEducation,#NewJerseyPreschool,#GrowNJKids,#AbbottDistricts,#AbbottVBurke,#MixedDeliverySystem,#HeadStart,#PreKForAll,#EducationalEquity,#EarlyLearning,#ChildCare,#NJEASEL,#eChildCare,#TeacherApprenticeship,#EarlyChildhoodWorkforce,#QualityRating,#SchoolReadiness,#ACNJ,#Kidlaw,#LetsTalkKids,#ChildAdvocacy,#NewJerseyEducation,#BirthToThree Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
- Transcript
September 14 · 15 min
Plyler v. Doe
Plyler v. Doe In 1982, one vote decided whether a child could be locked out of school over a piece of paper. Plyler v. Doe said no — and that door is still open. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. Why the Equal Protection Clause covers every child in a state 2. How a 5-4 vote blocked a permanent, uneducated underclass 3. What schools may never ask for at the registration desk 4. Why tuition and fees are illegal for undocumented students 5. How FERPA shields student files from status inquiries 6. What 2025-2026 challenges mean for districts and advocates More than 4.8 million children have taken a seat in a classroom because of this ruling. This broadcast walks through what the Court actually decided, the argument Texas could not win, and the daily duties the decision places on administrators — from enrollment forms to record rooms to safe zone policies. You'll hear how advocacy groups defend campuses, track state legislation, and push codification like Illinois HB 3247. And you'll see the stakes if the precedent falls: costly litigation, educators pressed into immigration duties, empty desks. One question runs underneath all of it. What do we lose when a child is locked out? Learn more about Plyler v. Doe by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/02/23/plyler-v-doe-1982/ SOCIAL & WEB LINKS Kidlaw Official Website - https://Kidlaw.org PODCAST LINKS Buzzsprout Link: https://kidlaw.buzzsprout.com Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlaw/id1896798336 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/033liLtlloBnXvjIJac6Z3?si=cbfc7e412df24c3c CONTACTS mcoogan@acnj.org - Mary Coogan, Esq. - Host of Let's Talk Kids | CEO of ACNJ npeckman@acnj.org - Nina Peckman, Esq. - Staff Attorney vjabon@acnj.org - Viggo Jabon - Multimedia Specialist at ACNJ Carter@DiedreMoire.com - Maxine E Carter - Producer #PlylerVDoe,#EqualProtection,#FourteenthAmendment,#PublicEducation,#ImmigrantChildren,#SchoolLaw,#FERPA,#StudentRights,#EducationPolicy,#ChildAdvocacy,#SupremeCourt,#ConstitutionalLaw,#SafeHavenSchools,#Kidlaw,#ACNJ Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
- Transcript
September 12 · 14 min
Momnibus Innovative Maternity Care Act
Momnibus Innovative Maternity Care Act In America, mothers still die from preventable causes, and the burden isn't shared equally. The Momnibus Innovative Maternity Care Act answers that crisis. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. Why Black and Indigenous mothers face the sharpest maternal risk 2. How telehealth and remote monitoring reach rural, underserved areas 3. New Medicaid and CHIP payment models that fund doulas and midwives 4. Shackling bans and diversion programs for incarcerated pregnant people 5. How WIC, TMaH, and pediatric links protect newborn health 6. Where state Momnibus laws and evolving federal policy head next The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, introduced in 2021 and reintroduced in 2023, bundles twelve bills into one response to a measurable emergency, with over $200 million already enacted through federal appropriations. This broadcast walks through the Innovative Maternity Care Act at its center: digital tools, remote patient monitoring for gestational diabetes and hypertension, behavioral health folded into prenatal and postpartum visits, expanded birth centers, and mandated data that finally exposes root causes. We also trace the ripple effects on correctional procedure, health profession schools, HBCU research funding, school based health centers, and the advocates driving what comes next. Learn more about Momnibus Innovative Maternity Care Act by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/03/27/momnibus-innovative-maternity-care-act/ SOCIAL & WEB LINKS Kidlaw Official Website - https://Kidlaw.org PODCAST LINKS Buzzsprout Link: https://kidlaw.buzzsprout.com Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlaw/id1896798336 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/033liLtlloBnXvjIJac6Z3?si=cbfc7e412df24c3c CONTACTS mcoogan@acnj.org - Mary Coogan, Esq. - Host of Let's Talk Kids | CEO of ACNJ npeckman@acnj.org - Nina Peckman, Esq. - Staff Attorney vjabon@acnj.org - Viggo Jabon - Multimedia Specialist at ACNJ Carter@DiedreMoire.com - Maxine E Carter - Producer #Momnibus,#BlackMaternalHealth,#MaternalMortality,#InnovativeMaternityCareAct,#MaternalHealthEquity,#Doulas,#Midwifery,#Medicaid,#CHIP,#Telehealth,#JusticeForIncarceratedMoms,#WIC,#PostpartumCare,#HealthEquity,#PrenatalCare,#BirthCenters,#PublicHealthPolicy,#ACNJ,#Kidlaw,#LetsTalkKids,#ChildAdvocacy Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
- Transcript
September 11 · 14 min
NCJFCJ National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
NCJFCJ National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Every day, in an American courtroom, a judge decides where a child sleeps tonight. Since 1937, one organization has helped answer that question. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. Why the NCJFCJ is the oldest judicial membership organization 2. The four focus areas behind every child and family case 3. How Enhanced Resource Guidelines and bench cards shape rulings 4. What the School-Justice Partnership does to keep kids in class 5. Where advocacy is aimed for 2024 through 2026, on five fronts 6. How model codes and judicial wellness are changing the law Roughly thirty thousand judicial professionals rely on the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges for education, research, and technical assistance across behavioral health, child welfare, juvenile justice, and family violence. More than eighty-five hundred are trained each year in adolescent development, trauma, and implicit bias. Model Courts cut delay and time in foster care. Trauma audits turn courtrooms into places of healing. Project ONE follows crossover youth through one door instead of two. The National Center for Juvenile Justice supplies the numbers. This is how the bench moves, and why it matters to every family standing before it. Learn more about NCJFCJ National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/02/20/ncjfcj-national-council-of-juvenile-and-family-court-judges/ SOCIAL & WEB LINKS Kidlaw Official Website - https://Kidlaw.org PODCAST LINKS Buzzsprout Link: https://kidlaw.buzzsprout.com Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlaw/id1896798336 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/033liLtlloBnXvjIJac6Z3?si=cbfc7e412df24c3c CONTACTS mcoogan@acnj.org - Mary Coogan, Esq. - Host of Let's Talk Kids | CEO of ACNJ npeckman@acnj.org - Nina Peckman, Esq. - Staff Attorney vjabon@acnj.org - Viggo Jabon - Multimedia Specialist at ACNJ Carter@DiedreMoire.com - Maxine E Carter - Producer #NCJFCJ,#JuvenileJustice,#FamilyCourt,#ChildWelfare,#TraumaInformedCare,#ModelCourts,#SchoolJusticePartnership,#SchoolToPrisonPipeline,#IndianChildWelfareAct,#JudicialWellness,#DomesticViolence,#ChildTrafficking,#FosterCare,#BehavioralHealth,#CrossoverYouth,#Kidlaw,#ACNJ,#LetsTalkKids Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
- Transcript
September 10 · 15 min
Momnibus CARE for Moms Act
Momnibus CARE for Moms Act Giving birth in America is more dangerous than it should be. Black and rural mothers bear the heaviest risk. Congress answered: the CARE for Moms Act. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. Why postpartum Medicaid must stretch from 60 days to 12 months 2. How doulas and midwives expand the maternal health workforce 3. Mobile obstetric units bringing care to rural maternity deserts 4. Training that targets implicit bias and racial care disparities 5. Ripple effects for schools, employers, and justice-involved moms 6. Which "Moms Act" bills are law, and which are still moving Senate Bill 2846 of the 118th Congress, Community Access, Resources, and Empowerment for Moms, builds on the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act and the Helping MOMS Act. This episode traces its three fronts: coverage, workforce, and access. Learn what mandatory oral health benefits, perinatal quality collaboratives, and hospital obstetric-unit closure notices mean for families. See how upstream health equity eases pressure on the justice system, why children thrive when mothers stay covered, and what the PUMP Act and WIC extensions ask of administrators. Then follow the money: $35 million a year, fiscal 2024 through 2028, and the tangle of similarly named bills still in motion. Learn more about Momnibus CARE for Moms Act by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/03/26/momnibus-care-for-moms-act/ SOCIAL & WEB LINKS Kidlaw Official Website - https://Kidlaw.org PODCAST LINKS Buzzsprout Link: https://kidlaw.buzzsprout.com Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlaw/id1896798336 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/033liLtlloBnXvjIJac6Z3?si=cbfc7e412df24c3c CONTACTS mcoogan@acnj.org - Mary Coogan, Esq. - Host of Let's Talk Kids | CEO of ACNJ npeckman@acnj.org - Nina Peckman, Esq. - Staff Attorney vjabon@acnj.org - Viggo Jabon - Multimedia Specialist at ACNJ Carter@DiedreMoire.com - Maxine E Carter - Producer #MaternalHealth,#CAREforMomsAct,#BlackMaternalHealth,#Momnibus,#PostpartumMedicaid,#Doulas,#Midwives,#RuralHealth,#MaternalMortality,#HealthEquity,#MaternityCareDeserts,#Kidlaw,#ACNJ Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
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September 5 · 7 min
Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L.
Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. A cheerleader's angry Snapchat reached the Supreme Court and redrew the line between a school's authority and a student's private voice. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. Why one off-campus Snapchat post produced a landmark 8-1 ruling 2. How Tinker's substantial disruption test applies beyond the campus 3. Three features that give off-campus speech greater protection 4. When schools may still act: bullying, threats, school computers 5. What changed for administrators, parents, and students afterward 6. Where courts are still drawing the digital discipline line in 2026 In 2017 a Pennsylvania freshman missed the varsity squad, vented in a weekend snap from a convenience store, and lost her junior varsity spot for a year. Four years later her case reached the nation's highest court. Justice Breyer's majority opinion held that a district's regulatory power shrinks sharply once a student steps past the schoolhouse gate: districts rarely stand in loco parentis after hours, cannot supervise a child around the clock, and share a democratic interest in shielding unpopular views. We walk through the reasoning, the exceptions that survived, and the heavy burden now carried before disciplining anything posted on a student's own time. Learn more about Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. 2021 by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/03/04/mahanoy-area-school-district-v-b-l/ SOCIAL & WEB LINKS Kidlaw Official Website - https://Kidlaw.org PODCAST LINKS Buzzsprout Link: https://kidlaw.buzzsprout.com Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlaw/id1896798336 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/033liLtlloBnXvjIJac6Z3?si=cbfc7e412df24c3c CONTACTS mcoogan@acnj.org - Mary Coogan, Esq. - Host of Let's Talk Kids | CEO of ACNJ npeckman@acnj.org - Nina Peckman, Esq. - Staff Attorney vjabon@acnj.org - Viggo Jabon - Multimedia Specialist at ACNJ Carter@DiedreMoire.com - Maxine E Carter - Producer Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
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September 4 · 9 min
FHA Federal Fair Housing Act
FHA Federal Fair Housing Act Where you live shapes your school, your safety, your future. The Federal Fair Housing Act decides who gets to live where — and who gets turned away. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. The seven protected classes and what each one actually covers 2. Illegal acts: refusals, false vacancies, unequal terms, harassment 3. How disparate impact works, and why Inclusive Communities limits it 4. Why families with children under 18 are a protected class 5. FHA duties for campus and school-managed student housing 6. HUD's 2026 move to rescind its discriminatory effects rules The FHA reaches rentals, sales, lending, appraisals, insurance, and advertising, covering private, public, and government-assisted housing alike. This broadcast traces enforcement from HUD's administrative track to DOJ pattern-or-practice suits and private federal lawsuits carrying a two-year statute of limitations. It explains post-1991 design and construction standards, reasonable accommodations and modifications, and the Bostock-driven reading of sex discrimination. It also examines advocacy testing, algorithmic bias in tenant screening, appraisal bias, state layers such as New Jersey's criminal-history limits, and a 25-point homeownership gap that has not closed. Learn more about The FHA Federal Fair Housing Act by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/02/20/fha-federal-fair-housing-act/ SOCIAL & WEB LINKS Kidlaw Official Website - https://Kidlaw.org PODCAST LINKS Buzzsprout Link: https://kidlaw.buzzsprout.com Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlaw/id1896798336 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/033liLtlloBnXvjIJac6Z3?si=cbfc7e412df24c3c CONTACTS mcoogan@acnj.org - Mary Coogan - Host of Let's Talk Kids | CEO of ACNJ vjabon@acnj.org - Viggo Jabon - Multimedia Specialist at ACNJ Carter@DiedreMoire.com - Maxine E Carter - Producer #FairHousingAct,#FHA,#HUD,#HousingDiscrimination,#FamilialStatus,#DisparateImpact,#ReasonableAccommodations,#TenantRights,#DisabilityRights,#Redlining,#AppraisalBias,#AlgorithmicBias,#AffirmativelyFurtheringFairHousing,#HousingPolicy,#CivilRights,#Kidlaw,#ACNJ,#ChildAdvocacy,#StudentHousing,#EqualAccess Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
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September 3 · 10 min
Your Rights to Attend School in New Jersey
Your Rights to Attend School in New Jersey A parent hears "We can't enroll your child." In New Jersey, that answer is almost always wrong. School is a right, not a privilege — and the law spells out exactly what a school can and cannot do. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. Who has the legal right to attend NJ public schools 2. Where children can enroll, including affidavit students 3. What schools cannot use to deny enrollment 4. Documents schools are legally barred from requiring 5. The step-by-step process for enrolling a child in NJ 6. Immunization rules and provisional admission options 7. How to appeal a denied enrollment decision 8. Special protections during domestic violence or family crisis 9. Rights guaranteed to students experiencing homelessness 10. Language access rules and where to find free legal help Every school-aged child in New Jersey has a legal seat waiting for them, but too many families are turned away by mistake. This broadcast breaks down the exact statutes, regulations, and court decisions that protect a child's right to enroll — no matter their housing situation, immigration status, or missing paperwork. We walk through who qualifies, where a child is entitled to attend, and the specific documents a district can and cannot demand. We cover immunization grace periods, the appeal process when a district says no, and the strong protections available to students facing family crisis or homelessness under the McKinney-Vento Act. Whether you're a parent, guardian, caregiver, or advocate, this guide translates dense legal language into clear, actionable steps — so every child can walk through the schoolhouse door. Learn more about Your Rights to Attend School in New Jersey by visiting https://kidlaw.org/2026/03/23/your-rights-to-attend-school-in-new-jersey-a-simple-guide/ SOCIAL & WEB LINKS Kidlaw Official Website - https://Kidlaw.org PODCAST LINKS Buzzsprout Link: https://kidlaw.buzzsprout.com Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlaw/id1896798336 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/033liLtlloBnXvjIJac6Z3?si=cbfc7e412df24c3c CONTACTS mcoogan@acnj.org - Mary Coogan - Host of Let's Talk Kids | CEO of ACNJ npeckman@acnj.org - Nina Peckman, Esq. - Staff Attorney vjabon@acnj.org - Viggo Jabon - Multimedia Specialist at ACNJ Carter@DiedreMoire.com - Maxine E Carter - Producer #NJEducationLaw,#SchoolEnrollment,#StudentRights,#NewJerseyLaw,#McKinneyVento,#HomelessStudents,#PlylerVDoe,#SpecialEducation,#AffidavitStudents,#SchoolDistrict,#EducationRights,#ACNJ,#KidLaw,#ImmigrationStatus,#FamilyCrisis,#DomesticViolence,#Immunizations,#EnrollmentAppeal,#FreeLegalAid,#KnowYourRights,#EducationAdvocacy,#NJSchools Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
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August 31 · 9 min
NJ Charter Schools 2026 NJ A-5936_S-4713 and A-5935_S-4716
NJ Charter Schools 2026 NJ A-5936_S-4713 and A-5935_S-4716 Thirty years without a serious overhaul. In January 2026, New Jersey rewrote its charter school law, and accountability will never look the same. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. Why NJ's 1995 Charter School Program Act needed a full rewrite 2. How a random lottery replaces selective admissions screening 3. What a student placement liaison does and why it matters 4. Why new for-profit and virtual charter schools are now banned 5. New contract, budget, and ethics rules boards must follow 6. How ten-year renewals reward high-performing schools On January 16, 2026, Governor Phil Murphy signed A-5936/S-4713 and A-5935/S-4716 into law as P.L. 2025, chapters 276 and 277. Together they impose stricter operating standards: public posting of budgets, contracts, salaries, and board minutes; training and residency rules for trustees; annual IRS Form 990 filings from Charter Management Organizations; and thirty days of public notice before amending leadership contracts. The Commissioner of Education gains expanded power to review, place on probation, or revoke charters. Students gain guaranteed re-enrollment, weighted lotteries for diversity, and access to NJSIAA athletics. Some provisions took effect immediately; others phase in over three years. Learn more about Charter Schools 2026 NJ A-5936_S-4713 and A-5935_S-4716 by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/03/09/nj-a-5936-s-4713-and-a-5935-s-4716/ SOCIAL & WEB LINKS Kidlaw Official Website - https://Kidlaw.org PODCAST LINKS Buzzsprout Link: https://kidlaw.buzzsprout.com Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlaw/id1896798336 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/033liLtlloBnXvjIJac6Z3?si=cbfc7e412df24c3c CONTACTS mcoogan@acnj.org - Mary Coogan - Host of Let's Talk Kids | CEO of ACNJ vjabon@acnj.org - Viggo Jabon - Multimedia Specialist at ACNJ Carter@DiedreMoire.com - Maxine E Carter - Producer #CharterSchools,#NewJersey,#NJEducation,#A5936,#S4713,#A5935,#S4716,#PhilMurphy,#EducationLaw,#SchoolAccountability,#PublicEducation,#NJEA,#CharterReform,#StudentRights,#SchoolBoards,#EducationPolicy,#NJSIAA,#SchoolTransparency,#Kidlaw,#ACNJ Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
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August 29 · 7 min
CAPTA Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act
CAPTA Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act Every child deserves to grow up safe. When abuse or neglect threatens that promise, one 1974 federal law decides who steps in—and how. Meet CAPTA. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. How CAPTA funds prevention, investigation and treatment nationwide 2. Why national definitions of abuse and neglect matter in every state 3. How mandated reporting built today's child protective services 4. The role of Guardians ad Litem and CASA volunteers in court 5. What schools and administrators must do under CAPTA protocols 6. How reauthorizations are shifting CAPTA toward public health Passed in 1974, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act remains the backbone of America's child protection system. This broadcast breaks down its four pillars—grants, national standards, reporting guidelines, and data collection through NCANDS and the Child Welfare Information Gateway—then follows their impact into courtrooms, classrooms, and communities. See how multidisciplinary teams speed response, how therapeutic services treat trauma rather than merely documenting it, and why advocates now push prevention first, evidence-based care, and answers to emerging crises like opioid exposure. A living law, still evolving, still promising a safer childhood for every child. #CAPTA,#ChildAbusePrevention,#ChildWelfare,#MandatedReporter,#ChildProtectiveServices,#CPS,#GuardianAdLitem,#CASA,#FosterCare,#SchoolAdministration,#ChildSafety,#NCANDS,#ChildAdvocacy,#ChildProtection,#FamilySupport,#TraumaInformedCare,#Kidlaw,#LetsTalkKids,#ACNJ Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
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August 28 · 9 min
Building Values Based Families
Building Values Based Families You spent a lifetime building a family around your values. Now a courtroom decides whether those values are allowed to stand. Here's how to make sure they do. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. Why incentive trusts protect wealth and where courts strike them down 2. How Shapira and Feinberg define legal "dead hand control" 3. The three tools that guide heirs without overreaching 4. Where parental rights end and the state's power begins 5. Mahmoud v. Taylor and the fight over classroom opt-outs 6. Contracts that protect LGBTQ+, chosen, and surrogacy families Values-based families, whether faith-driven, cultural, or progressive, collide with public law at predictable pressure points. This broadcast maps them: estate conditions that judges enforce versus those they void, custody disputes where "best interests of the child" meets religious conviction, vaccine and gender-affirming care fights between divorced parents, and the patchwork protecting non-traditional households. You'll learn why letters of wishes, no-contest clauses, co-parenting and cohabitation agreements, second-parent adoptions, healthcare powers of attorney, and pre-birth parentage orders turn belief into enforceable instruments. Your values are the blueprint; the law is the building code. Learn more about Building Values Based Families by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/02/18/values-based-families/ #EstatePlanning,#IncentiveTrust,#FamilyLaw,#CustodyBattle,#ParentalRights,#ValuesBasedFamily,#DeadHandControl,#BestInterestsOfTheChild,#MahmoudVTaylor,#LGBTQFamilies,#SecondParentAdoption,#Surrogacy,#CoParentingAgreement,#Kidlaw Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
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August 27 · 10 min
NJSBR (S1034) New Jersey Siblings' Bill of Rights
NJSBR (S1034) New Jersey Siblings' Bill of Rights She's the person who's known you the longest—not a parent, not a spouse. For thousands of foster kids, losing that person isn't rare. It's routine. New Jersey just made it a right. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. Why siblings are the longest relationship most people have 2. How many foster children are separated from a sibling 3. NJ numbers: over half of kids in care have a sibling in care 4. The real reasons siblings get split up (it's rarely malice) 5. How foster youth themselves wrote this law from scratch 6. The unanimous vote that made it Chapter One of 2023 7. The right to be placed together or as close as possible 8. The right to regular visits, transportation, and phone access 9. Why visits can no longer be used as a behavioral punishment 10. Who actually enforces these rights when no lawsuit exists This law wasn't written by lobbyists. It was written by twenty-four foster youth who told the state the one thing they wanted wasn't money, it was their brothers and sisters. That request became Senate Bill 1034, passed without a single dissenting vote, and signed into law as Chapter One of 2023. The New Jersey Siblings' Bill of Rights guarantees more than good intentions. It mandates joint placement whenever possible, guaranteed visitation with transportation included, annual updated contact information, and a voice in each other's adoption and custody decisions. Perhaps most striking: sibling visits can never be revoked as punishment. Research backs the instinct. Children placed with siblings face fewer disruptions, lower anxiety, and better long-term outcomes. New Jersey now places the vast majority of sibling groups together, proof that a right written by kids who lived the loss can actually change what happens next. Learn more about NJSBR (S1034) New Jersey Siblings' Bill of Rights by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/02/27/njsbr-s1034-new-jersey-siblings-bill-of-rights/ SOCIAL & WEB LINKS Kidlaw Official Website - https://Kidlaw.org PODCAST LINKS Buzzsprout Link: https://kidlaw.buzzsprout.com Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlaw/id1896798336 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/033liLtlloBnXvjIJac6Z3?si=cbfc7e412df24c3c CONTACTS mcoogan@acnj.org - Mary Coogan - Host of Let's Talk Kids | CEO of ACNJ npeckman@acnj.org - Nina Peckman, Esq. - Staff Attorney vjabon@acnj.org - Viggo Jabon - Multimedia Specialist at ACNJ Carter@DiedreMoire.com - Maxine E Carter - Producer #NJSBR,#SiblingsBillOfRights,#FosterCare,#NewJerseyLaw,#ChildWelfare,#SiblingBond,#FosterYouth,#KidsLaw,#ACNJ,#LetsTalkKids,#S1034,#ChildPlacement,#FamilyReunification,#YouthAdvocacy,#FosterCareReform,#SiblingRights,#ChildWelfarePolicy,#NJLegislature Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
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August 27 · 10 min
WPR Work Participation Rate TANF
WPR Work Participation Rate TANF A hidden number quietly controls benefits for millions of American families. It's not the jobless rate you hear on the news, it's the WPR, and missing it can cost states millions. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. What the WPR is and why it differs from the labor force rate 2. How TANF work targets work: 50% and 90% thresholds 3. Why WPR only counts hours, not real economic outcomes 4. How the Caseload Reduction Credit shrinks state targets 5. Penalties states face for missing WPR requirements 6. How WPR reshapes fair hearings and administrative law 7. Effects on child welfare, poverty, and foster care rates 8. Real benefits and risks for children in TANF families 9. How WPR pressures ripple into school administration 10. Major 2025 reforms under the Fiscal Responsibility Act The Work Participation Rate (WPR) is a federal TANF performance measure requiring states to engage a set percentage of welfare recipients in documented work activities. It's a process metric, counting hours, not earnings, employability, or wellbeing. States that miss their targets face reduced federal block grants, starting at five percent and climbing with continued noncompliance. Beyond the welfare office, WPR pressure reshapes state law. It drives full-family sanctions, clogs administrative fair hearings, and pushes caseload restrictions that deepen poverty, increase neglect cases, and complicate family law. Schools absorb the fallout too, as sanctioned families face housing and food instability, student mobility, and chronic absenteeism. The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 is now rewriting these rules, resetting the Caseload Reduction Credit baseline to 2015 and tightening minimum benefit thresholds, changes that will make WPR compliance far harder for states starting in fiscal year 2026. Learn more about WPR TANF Work Participation Rate by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/03/12/wpr-tanf-work-participation-rate/ SOCIAL & WEB LINKS Kidlaw Official Website - https://Kidlaw.org PODCAST LINKS Buzzsprout Link: https://kidlaw.buzzsprout.com Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlaw/id1896798336 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/033liLtlloBnXvjIJac6Z3?si=cbfc7e412df24c3c CONTACTS mcoogan@acnj.org - Mary Coogan - Host of Let's Talk Kids | CEO of ACNJ npeckman@acnj.org - Nina Peckman, Esq. - Staff Attorney vjabon@acnj.org - Viggo Jabon - Multimedia Specialist at ACNJ Carter@DiedreMoire.com - Maxine E Carter - Producer #TANF,#WPR,#WelfareReform,#WorkParticipationRate,#SocialSafetyNet,#PublicPolicy,#FamilyLaw,#ChildWelfare,#PovertyPolicy,#WelfareToWork,#FiscalResponsibilityAct,#CaseloadReductionCredit,#SchoolAdministration,#Advocacy,#KidLaw,#ACNJ,#SocialServices,#LegalPolicy,#EconomicMobility,#EquityInPolicy, Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
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August 26 · 9 min
AFCARS Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System
AFCARS Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System Hundreds of thousands of children are in foster care right now. One federal data system quietly tracks what happens to every one of them: AFCARS. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. What AFCARS is and why Congress mandated it back in 1986 2. Who must report, what they report, and the twice-yearly deadlines 3. Inside the files: 66+ foster care and 37+ adoption data elements 4. How courts use the data in permanency and parental rights cases 5. Why schools now link K-12 records to foster care placement data 6. The 2024 ICWA rule, its 2028 start date, and penalties for errors Behind every data point is a child. AFCARS is the primary federal source for national foster care and adoption statistics, and the Children's Bureau uses it to assess state performance, calculate adoption incentives, and decide where the money goes. This broadcast breaks down how case-level reporting shapes courtroom decisions, drives trauma-informed practice in schools, and arms advocacy groups pressing for kinship care, faster permanency, and honest accounting of racial and economic disparities. We also trace the shifting rules — expanded in 2016, narrowed in 2020, restored and strengthened in 2024 — and what states stand to lose when the numbers are wrong. Learn more about AFCARS Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/03/14/afcars-adoption-and-foster-care-analysis-and-reporting-system/ #AFCARS,#FosterCare,#ChildWelfare,#Adoption,#ICWA,#IndianChildWelfareAct,#TitleIVE,#ChildrensBureau,#PermanencyPlanning,#KinshipCare,#FamilyCourt,#ChildAdvocacy,#FosterYouth,#AgingOut,#SchoolStability,#ChildWelfareData,#Kidlaw,#ACNJ Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
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August 24 · 9 min
AAP Guidelines American Academy of Pediatrics
AAP Guidelines American Academy of Pediatrics Behind every checkup, vaccine, and piece of pediatric advice sits one trusted playbook, built on decades of science. Here is how it actually works. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS BROADCAST 1. How 35 pediatricians in 1930 grew into a 67,000-member force 2. The GRADE method behind 500+ AAP policy statements and reports 3. Why obesity is now treated as a chronic disease, not willpower 4. Safe sleep rules that cut SIDS deaths by more than half 5. Anxiety, depression, and suicide-risk screening ages explained 6. The Five Cs replacing screen-time limits in the 2026 policy From a single meeting in Detroit to a nationwide network, the American Academy of Pediatrics turns rigorous evidence into everyday guidance. This broadcast traces the full pipeline: a precise clinical question, a systematic review, graded evidence, then plain-language advice families can use tonight. We cover the 2022 breastfeeding update supporting two years or beyond, Bright Futures and its 31 well-child visits, developmental and autism screening at set ages, and routine vaccines credited with preventing an estimated 508 million illnesses. You will see why the guidance keeps evolving, and why that is exactly the point. Learn more about AAP Guidelines American Academy of Pediatrics by visiting: https://kidlaw.org/2026/03/09/aap-guidelines-american-academy-of-pediatrics/ #AAPGuidelines,#AmericanAcademyOfPediatrics,#Pediatrics,#ChildHealth,#BrightFutures,#SafeSleep,#SIDSPrevention,#Breastfeeding,#ChildhoodObesity,#YouthMentalHealth,#ScreenTime,#FamilyMediaPlan,#Immunization,#WellChildVisit,#DevelopmentalScreening,#AutismAwareness,#ParentingTips,#HealthyChildren,#Kidlaw Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), Kidlaw, Kidlaw.org, ACNJ.org, Let's Talk Kids, and any other ACNJ affiliated websites, podcasts, video channels or similar DO NOT provide any legal advice and users of this web site should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. This broadcast (the "Broadcast") is a general service that provides educational information over the Internet. We are not a law firm and our employees, executives or management are not your attorney or acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Broadcast is general information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. If you believe or are unsure whether your particular situation requires legal advice or legal information, you should consult a lawyer.
- Transcript

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