Louisiana

Help for Children Without A Parent's Care

Know Your Rights

• An Introduction to Foster Care

  See this video to learn more about foster care. Content Detail

  By:

  Children's Law Committee, Louisiana State Bar Association

• Apply for the Kinship Care Subsidy Program

  Find out more about kinship care. Content Detail

  By:

  Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services

• Child Welfare Services in Louisiana

  Find out about adoption, protection from abuse and neglect, and foster care. Content Detail

  By:

  Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services

• Foster Parenting

  Information and resources about being a foster parent, about children who need foster homes, certification and support resources. Content Detail

  By:

  Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Kinship Care -- Questions and Answers

  Information about the Kinship Care subsidy program from the state agency. Content Detail

  By:

  Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services

• Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services

  Link to the website of the state agency that runs these programs: food stamps, welfare, kinship care subsidies, foster care, child support, disability rehabilitation, and more. Content Detail

  By:

  Louisiana Department of Social Services (now Department of Children and Family Services)

• VAWA -- summary of changes to the law

  See this fact sheet to learn more about the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and recent changes. Content Detail

  By:

  ABA -- American Bar Association

• Financial Help for Adoptions & Foster Care

  Financial assistance available in Louisiana. Content Detail

  By:

  North American Council on Adoptable Children

• Foster Care -- An Introduction

  See this video about foster care in Louisiana, from the Children's Law Committtee of the Louisiana State Bar Association. Content Detail

• USA.gov (GobiernoUSA.gov in Spanish)

  Recursos del Gobierno de los Estados Unidos en español. "Su guía de información y servicios del Gobierno." Your Guide to Government Information and Services Content Detail

  By:

  U.S. General Services Administration's Technology Transformation Service. Administración de Servicios Generales de los Estados Unidos

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Child Welfare Information Gateway

  Print and electronic publications, websites, and online databases covering a wide range of topics from prevention to permanency, including child welfare, child abuse and neglect, adoption, search and reunion, and much more. Content Detail

  By:

  Children's Bureau, Administration for Children & Families, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Resource Guide

  Information about custody, visitation, provisional custody by mandate, adoption, and other legal issues that face grandparents. The guide also has a list of helpful contacts. Read More

  By:

  Northwest Louisiana Pro Bono Project

• How to Get Legal Help/Como Obtener Ayuda Legal

  Information in English and Spanish about how to get help from programs that offer free help to qualified people. Lea aquí para aprender cómo obtener ayuda gratis con problemas legales, ayuda de los programas para las personas de ingresos bajos. Content Detail

  By:

  Southeast Louisiana Legal Services

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Louisiana Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children

  From the DCFS site: "The Louisiana Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children is the central repository of information about missing and exploited children in Louisiana. As of August 15, 2011, the Clearinghouse has been moved to the Louisiana State Polic[e] Fusion Center. In 2008, 93 children returned to their homes with the help of the Louisiana Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children (LACMEC). LACMEC assisted with 207 cases, including 148 runaways. Of those, 67 returned home. The other 59 children were the victims of family abductions, non-family abductions and other types of cases. LACMEC helped return 26 to their families. Contact the Louisiana Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-434-8007." Content Detail

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana (PCAL)

  PCAL's mission is prevention of child abuse and neglect. The organization sponsors the KIDLINE hotline (1-800-CHILDREN). From PCAL's site: "anonymous, toll-free, statewide telephone service offering crisis intervention, support, parenting information and referrals to community resources within the state of Louisiana." Content Detail

  By:

  PCAL