Warning: Self-Help Resources are NOT legal advice and may not apply to your case. Please talk to a lawyer about the facts of your case.
There are 42 resources
AB 458 Fact Sheet: The California Foster Care Non-Discrimination Act
(Separate Website)
By: National Center for Lesbian Rights
Adoption Assistance Program
(Separate Website)
You must download this fact sheet. After clicking on the above link, click on "Adoption_Assistance.doc"
By: Youth Law Center
Caregivers and the Courts
(Separate Website)
A Primer on Juvenile Dependency Proceedings for California foster Parents and Relative Caregivers
By: Administrative Office of the Courts
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit
(Separate Website)
Signing of the affidavit is sufficient to authorize enrolling a minor in school and authorizing medical care.
By: Legal Services for Children, Inc.
De Facto Parent
(Separate Website)
What is it?
By: Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Dependency Proceedings
(Separate Website)
Manual for Grandparent-Relative Caregivers and Their Advocates.
By: Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
English/Chinese Glossary of California Department of Social Services Terms
(Separate Website)
By: California Department of Social Services
Read this in:
Chinese / 中文
English/Russian Glossary of San Francisco County Department of Human Services Terms
(Separate Website)
By: San Francisco County Department of Human Services
Read this in:
Russian / Pусский
English/Spanish Glossary of California Department of Social Services Terms
(Separate Website)
By: California Department of Social Services
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
English/Vietnamese Glossary of California Department of Social Services Terms
(Separate Website)
Families & Children Forms and Instructions from the Office of the Courts
(Separate Website)
This links to different types of court forms used in family law cases.
By: Administrative Office of the Courts
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Family Reunification
(Separate Website)
How do I get my child back after I am released from prison or jail?
By: Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Foster Care
(Separate Website)
Manual for Grandparent-Relative Caregivers and Their Advocates.
By: Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
Foster Care and Dependency
(Separate Website)
How can I keep my family together while I'm in jail or prison?
By: Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Foster Care Ombudsman Program
(Separate Website)
The Foster Care Ombudsman’s Office is empowered to investigate complaints about state and local agencies regarding foster care.
By: California Department of Social Services
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Foster Child Expulsion from Public School
(Separate Website)
You must download this fact sheet. After clicking on the above link, click on "Foster_Child_Expulsion.doc"
By: Youth Law Center
Foster Youth Help
(Separate Website)
This website is designed for foster youth. Read about your rights, health, driver's licenses, housing, court, how to file complaints, and more...
By: California Department of Social Services
Glossary of Legal Terms
(Separate Website)
A Glossary of terms from the California Courts Self-Help Center
By: Administrative Office of the Courts
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Going to Court Without a Lawyer - Representing Yourself in Court
(Separate Website)
Whatever the reason, you have the right to represent yourself, to be your own lawyer in all cases in California. It is very important that you learn about what is at stake in your case.
By: Administrative Office of the Courts
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Grandparent Visitation Rights in Foster Care
(Separate Website)
By: Youth Law Center
Guardianship Pamphlet
(Separate Website)
For Guardianships of Children in the Probate Court
By: Administrative Office of the Courts
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Juvenile Court System Information from the Office of the Courts
(Separate Website)
This links to the Courts' overview of the Juvenile Court system that includes information on juvenile delinquency, juvenile status offenses, and dependency court (for abuse or neglect) .
By: Administrative Office of the Courts
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Juvenile Dependency System
(Separate Website)
This links to information on the dependency court system where child abuse and neglect cases are heard.
By: Administrative Office of the Courts
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Kinship Care
(Separate Website)
The Kinship Support Services Programs (KSSP) provide community-based family support services to relative caregivers and the dependent children placed in their homes by the juvenile court and to those who are at risk of dependency or delinquency.
By: California Department of Social Services -- Children and Family Services Division
Legal Rights and Options for Runaway Teens
(Separate Website)
Things to know about running away from home.
By: Legal Services for Children, Inc.
Legal Rights of Teens in Out-Of-Home Care
(Separate Website)
This booklet, based on California law, covers some of the concerns of a youth in out-of-home care, including types of placements, guardianship, independent living, role of the courts, visitation, confidentiality, pregnancy, money, religion, driving, emancipation and rights and responsibilities of youth in out-of-home care, group or foster homes
By: Youth Law Center
Manual for Grandparent-Relative Caregivers and Their Advocates
(Separate Website)
By: Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Overview of the Foster Care System in California
(Separate Website)
You must download this fact sheet. After clicking on the above link, click on "Foster_Care_Syetem.doc"
By: Youth Law Center
Placement
(Separate Website)
Where will my child live if I am arrested?
By: Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Public Benefits
(Separate Website)
Manual for Grandparent-Caregivers and Their Advocates.
By: Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
Public Law Library of Orange County
(Separate Website)
Open to the public, the county law library provides legal information material and resources held in its collection for your research.
By: Council of California County Law Librarians
Queer and Trans Youth in California Foster Care Have Rights!
(Separate Website)
By: National Center for Lesbian Rights
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
(Separate Website)
What is it? Who Qualifies?
By: Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
The Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment Program: Requirements and FAQs
(Separate Website)
By: California Department of Social Services -- Foster Care Branch
The Legal Rights of LGBT Youth in the Child Welfare System
(Separate Website)
By: National Center for Lesbian Rights
Therapeutic Behavioral Services for Medi-Cal Eligible Children & Youth
(Separate Website)
By: Disability Rights California - Sacramento Office
What Can A Lawyer Referral Service Do For Me?
(Separate Website)
What is the Indian Child Welfare Act?
(Separate Website)
The guide explains what the Act is, why is passed, and how it applies in California. If you're a parent or Indian custodian, this guide can help you decide if ICWA applies to your situation, and explains what your rights are if it applies. It also explains the rights tribes have in your case, if ICWA applies.
By: California Indian Legal Services - Escondido
What's Happening In Court?
(Separate Website)
An activity book for children who are going to court in California.
By: Administrative Office of the Courts
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Your Rights and Resources
(Separate Website)
This brochure is designed to serve as a guide to legal rights and resources for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans-gender (LGBT) persons in California.
By: The State Bar of California, Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination
Adobe Acrobat Reader required. (If you are using a screen reader that does not support PDF format, copy the PDF link, and use the Access Adobe online form to convert this file to HMTL text.)
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