named programs · 1 · from sources
What they call their work
Wyatt B. v. Governor Brown
Class-action lawsuit representing over 8,000 Oregon foster children, including subclasses of children with disabilities, SGM youth, and those aging out of care, to enforce constitutional and statutory rights to safety, permanency, and adequate services
activities · 2 groups
What they do
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Family and Juvenile Legal Defense 2 activities
- File and litigate class-action lawsuits to reform state child welfare systemsFiles and litigates federal class-action lawsuits on behalf of children in foster care to compel systemic reforms in state child welfare systems. The organization has led cases in multiple jurisdictions, including Alaska, Indiana, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, New Jersey, and New York City, representing tens of thousands of children and securing court-approved settlements and oversight mechanisms.
- Provide legal representation for children harmed in state custodyProvides direct legal representation to children who have suffered harm or neglect while in the custody of state-operated child welfare systems, using litigation to advocate for their rights and safety within the court system.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Develop and apply innovative legal strategies for child welfare reformDevelops new legal theories and expands existing law to advance child welfare reform, including through contempt motions, appeals, and motions for reconsideration, such as seeking federal receivership in Mississippi and appealing rulings in New York and North Carolina cases.
- Monitor state compliance with child welfare reform agreementsConducts ongoing monitoring and reporting on state compliance with court-mandated child welfare reform agreements, including in Mississippi, Oklahoma, New Jersey, and Oregon. This includes submitting progress reports and advocating for accountability to ensure constitutional protections for children in foster care.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$8.58M
Contributions & grants$1.18M14%
Program service revenue$7.39M86%
Investment income$4K0%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$2.05M
Program expenses88%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$1.31M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$7.84M
Cash$3.18M
Investments$4.57M
Liabilities$111K
Net assets$7.73M
Liquid reserves45.4 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +788.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARCIA ROBINSON LOWRY | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $291K |
| JULIA TEBORG | ATTORNEY | 40 | $156K |
board members · 3
- FREDERIC DORWART — CHAIR OF THE BOARD
- ROBERT D LEVY — TREASURER
- STEVEN DOW — DIRECTOR
relationships · 20
Who they work with
- Administration for Children's Services (ACS) Government — City agency responsible for New York City’s foster care system, named in litigation for systemic failures.
- Alaska Office of Children’s Services Government — Defendant in the Mary B. v. Kovol class-action lawsuit filed by A BETTER CHILDHOOD INC to reform foster care practices.
- American Civil Liberties Union Partner — Former director of the Children’s Rights Project at ACLU
- Center for the Study of Social Policy Partner — Judith Meltzer of the Center for the Study of Social Policy serves as the court-appointed monitor in the New Jersey child welfare reform case, working alongside A Better Childhood in oversight and reporting.
- Gaston County Department of Social Services Government — Sued as a defendant in the Jameson C. v. Cooper case for failures in placement stability and service delivery.
- Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) Government — Defendant in federal class-action lawsuit filed by A BETTER CHILDHOOD INC over systemic failures in the state's foster care system.
- Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services Government — Defendant in the Jacob B. v. Landry class-action lawsuit filed by A Better Childhood Inc.
- Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services Government — Sued as a defendant in the Jameson C. v. Cooper case for ineffective service provision and inappropriate placement of children.
- Mountain State Spotlight Partner — Media outlet that has published statements and insights from ABC's Executive Director.
- New York Civil Liberties Union Partner — Former director of the Children’s Rights Project at NYCLU
- North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Government — Sued as a defendant in the Jameson C. v. Cooper class-action lawsuit over failures in the foster care system.
- Oklahoma Department of Human Services Government — Subject of federal class-action lawsuit and party to the 2012 Compromise and Settlement Agreement, with ongoing monitoring by A Better Childhood Inc.
- Oregon Department of Human Services Government — Litigated against DHS for systemic failures in the foster care system, resulting in a court-enforced settlement to improve services and oversight.
- Public Catalyst Partner — Collaborated with Public Catalyst, an independent consulting group, to address systemic failings in Mississippi’s child protective system and monitor compliance with the settlement agreement.
- Second Circuit Court of Appeals Government — Judicial body that reversed and remanded the denial of class action status in the Elisa W. v. The City Of New York case.
- Southern District of New York Government — Federal court that granted class action status to NYC foster children in August 2024.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families Government — Source of national foster care statistics cited in reporting and analysis.
- child advocates Partner — Works alongside child advocates to address systemic failures in child protection systems.
- community organizations Partner — Partners with community organizations to support advocacy for improved child welfare systems.
- local law firms Partner — Collaborates with local law firms to advance child welfare reform through legal action.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Coalition-Based Advocacymethodology: coalition_based_advocacyBy partnering with local legal and community organizations, we amplify advocacy impact and strengthen reform efforts because collective action increases legitimacy, reach, and on-the-ground implementation capacity.
- Deinstitutionalization to Improve Child Well-Beingmethodology: deinstitutionalizationBy advocating for the reduction of large institutional placements in foster care, we improve child well-being because smaller, family-based settings reduce trauma and support healthier development.
- Strategic Litigation for Systemic Reformmethodology: strategic_litigationBy using targeted class-action and federal litigation, we compel systemic changes in state child welfare systems because court-enforced accountability creates binding pressure for structural reform and deters ongoing violations of children's rights.