Child Advocates Inc.

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Child Advocates Inc.

We champion Indiana children by advocating for justice, opportunity, and well-being for them. Join Us. Be a child's champion: https://childadvocates.net/donate/

They are children who've faced abuse, educational challenges, and obstacles to their success. Child Advocates is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit agency that offers programs and services for children and youth statewide through a race equity lens. We serve children and youth who have experienced abuse and neglect, and we advocate for racial equity in the child welfare system and in our communities to help

build a better future for all children. We fulfill our mission through four key programs: Interrupting Racism for Children, Mediation, Direct Representation, and through the child advocacy expertise of our attorneys. Since 2009, we have helped facilitate or conduct hundreds of racial equity and anti-racism workshops to address the disproportionality of black and brown children in the child welfare system locally and nationally. Over the years, we have expanded those workshops to include businesses, schools, non-profits, community leaders, and the community as a whole. Today, we continue that consequential and national award-winning work because we believe that race should never be a predictor of any child's life outcomes. For 39 years, Child Advocates was also an award-winning Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), chosen by the courts in Marion County (Indianapolis) Indiana, to represent the best interests of thousands of abused and neglected children. We fulfilled our mission through advocacy, monitoring, evaluation, fact-finding, and mediation. And we trained thousands of CASA Volunteers, over the years, to assist staff professionals in each child’s case to ensure that those children did not get lost in the system, that their needs were met during the course of their court cases, and that we helped them find a safe, permanent, and secure home, as soon as possible, where they could thrive.

27/05/2026

Studies show that up to 80 percent of children who have been placed in foster care due to abuse or neglect in their home, have significant mental health issues.

The number for the general population is 18 to 22%, so the difference is staggering.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. As a nonprofit that serves children who have been placed in the child welfare system, we find that statistic heartbreaking.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says mental and behavioral health is "the greatest unmet health need" for foster children and teens. They experience more anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental or behavioral health issues.

The causes? The trauma at home that led to their placement in the child welfare system. Stress once they are in the system. And the instability associated with unexpected change.

We honor Mental Health Awareness month as a reminder to families about the impact of our home environment on our children.

if you are repeating abusive patterns that you learned in your home as a child, if you fear your child has been abused by others, or if you simply want parenting resources, here is a place to start:https://bit.ly/4u4i39o

You have the power to help change your child's life and their mental health.

25/05/2026

🌟Memorial Day is a day to honor some of our nation's heroes. May we never forget.

Today, we pay tribute to the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

As we gather with family and friends, we hope you celebrate the day with a spirit of gratitude and take time to remember their legacy.

Whether it’s a backyard barbecue, a day at the park, or simply enjoying time with loved ones, we hope you and those you love make this day special in their honor. ❤️💙

What are your plans for Memorial Day? Share in the comments below! 👇

21/05/2026

We can do something together this September that is anything but trivial.

You can team up with some of your friends and family and take part in our fun annual event with a serious purpose.

⭐It can help change the lives of vulnerable children.

Register for "Trivia Night" with Child Advocates on September 24th in downtown Indianapolis.

➡️Your team will help our attorneys secure stable homes for children who have faced abuse and neglect and have been placed in the child welfare system for their safety.

➡️And you will help us serve children, from preschool through high school, who are struggling in school and need our free educational services to help them succeed.

Our "Trivia Night" event is a blast every year with lots of excitement, laughter, and team work!

It takes place, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Cinderwood Event Center downtown.

So get ready! Build a team of your smartest friends and family, or the best 'guessers' of all things "trivial", and make a meaningful difference in the lives of children.

Or you can be a sponsor of our Trivia Night and impact children's lives, too!

Learn more today! Click here: https://bit.ly/3Rf7D9h

Learn more today! Click here: https://bit.ly/3Rf7D9h

11/05/2026

"Life doesn't come with a manual. It comes with a mother." —Author Unknown

She may be life's greatest teacher: The woman who gave birth to us or who raised us as if we were her own.❤️

As child advocates, we have witnessed, firsthand, the magnificence of a mother in their children's lives, whether it is a birth mother, an adoptive mother, or a foster mother.

Their impact is immeasurable. Their imprint lasts a lifetime.

We want to thank all of the wonderful mothers who are a crucial part of their children's lives, no matter what their age.

We may get one national day to officially thank you, collectively, but you are a gift to your children every day.

We hope this day served as a reminder of your important role in your children's lives year-round. (Happy Mother's Year!❤️)

28/04/2026

Our attorneys at Child Advocates are Champions for Children. As we recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, we want you to meet some of our staff champions, along with others.

Today, we honor Rachel Vilensky, the director of our Direct Representation program. She leads the only program, in Indiana, that offers free, in-house attorneys to represent the rights of older children in the child welfare system.

And, in 2024, Rachel was selected as one of "Indy's Best and Brightest" from Junior Achievement of Central Indiana. She won the award in the Law Category. This award recognizes Rachel's commitment as a champion for so many vulnerable children. And that is what matters most to Rachel.

Last year alone, she and other attorneys in the program, served more than 274 children across Indiana.

In one recent case, Rachel helped change the life of a young girl we will call "Laura."

Laura had been in the foster care system for eight years and lived in seven homes.

Can you imagine the instability she must have felt as she sought a home that she could call her own, a home where she could feel safe and loved?

However, delays in the system and in court kept her in foster care for years.

Rachel served as Laura's attorney, standing up for her rights in court, and she worked, relentlessly, to help grant Laura's greatest wish.

Laura wanted to remain in one home—the home of her foster parents who had loved and cared for her for the last two years.

And, today, Rachel shares great news! "Her case (in the child welfare system) is officially closed. No more court hearings. And finally, some permanency!"

Laura's foster parents are officially her legal guardians, which gives her a permanent home. And because of their love for Laura, they have plans to adopt her, as well.

Rachel says, "Physically nothing changes for Laura, overall, but mentally this is huge!"

Her foster mother shared her gratefulness and relief with Rachel, saying, "Thank you for everything! You can visibly see a weight lift from Laura's shoulders. I'm forever grateful!"

And yet, there is still a great need for more children, just like Laura, to have an attorney who can help build them the future they deserve.

And we are able to stand up for them, in part, due to the generosity of supporters, like you.

Won't you stand with them during this special month? Help us change children's lives. Be a Child Advocates champion today by supporting our work, and please share!: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/chiadv

13/02/2026

Please meet one of our newest amazing advocates for vulnerable Indiana children. Heather Hobbs started working in the child welfare system with the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) around 18 years ago. And once she became involved with children, who faced abuse or neglect in their home, she felt compelled to do more.

So, Heather decided to go to Northern Kentucky University's Chase College of Law to become an attorney, while also gaining experience in representing children in court at a children's law clinic in the area.

When she graduated, Heather practiced family law and adoption assistance negotiations before returning to DCS in Indiana. This time, she became a local office attorney in Bartholomew County, and eventually served as Deputy Chief Counsel and Chief Counsel before joining Child Advocates.

Today, Heather is an attorney in our Direct Representation program, which aligns with her law experience while in college.

⭐We have the only program in the state that provides free, in-house lawyers to represent the rights of older children in the child welfare system.⭐ Indiana is one of only a handful of states that does not offer attorneys for children in the system.

And our work spoke to her passion. “Child Advocates has always been an agency that I admired for their advocacy. My goal, when becoming an attorney, was to find a way to represent children directly. Child Advocates does exactly what I imagined I wanted to do with my law degree and my skills. I have witnessed first-hand, both personally and professionally, how a child’s voice can be forgotten in a system that is overburdened and adult focused. I hope to change the way people think of children’s voices and their expressed wishes.”

Heather continues, “In a system where a child has zero control, attorneys for children help them feel empowered to use their voice and advocate for themselves as they grow into young adults. And at the basic level, a direct representation attorney provides a role model for the child who shows them that their opinion matters and what they have to say about their own life matters.”

So today, Heather is serving older children, in the child welfare system, who she says once had “a lack of due process” with no input in their own cases. And she cared so much about them that she went back to college to give them "everything she has" by representing their voices in court, and giving them a choice in their future.

We are blessed to have Heather Hobbs join our team of dedicated Child Advocates' attorneys. They are warriors for some of the most vulnerable children in Indiana. And every day, they are changing children’s lives.

03/02/2026

“For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we are brave enough to be it.” — Amanda Gorman/Poet

During Black History Month, as we celebrate the achievements and contributions of African-Americans to our nation's history, we will center on one thing, today, as child advocates:

⭐Our children and a nation that honors and supports each one of them.⭐

May we let the light of our love for all children inspire each of our steps, so that no child is forgotten.

May we include and uplift every child, and build them a future where each one is given their best chance to thrive and build a successful life.

At Child Advocates, we seek justice, opportunity, and well-being for children and youth year-round, including those who are the most vulnerable among us.

We hope that in changing times, we always 'run to the light', and seek the best inside of us, to build every child a better future. They are our greatest gifts.

30/01/2026

Our child advocacy attorneys have a lot on their plate as they serve vulnerable children, across Indiana, who have been placed in the child welfare system due to abuse or neglect.

However, some of them still create time to 'go back to college' for a unique mission: investing their time in the future of law students.

They serve as adjunct professors offering a practicum at the Indiana University - Maurer School of Law in Bloomington. The class features hands-on learning for second and third-year law students.

Rachel Vilensky, an attorney and director of our Direct Representation program, launched the practicum four years ago to introduce students to a potential career in child welfare work and public interest law.

Our Direct Representation program is the only program in the state that offers 'counsel for children' with free, in-house attorneys representing the rights of older foster children, in the child welfare system, in court.

Today, she and Joel Wieneke, one of our Direct Representation attorneys, teach the law students how to provide client-centered representation to children in the welfare system.

And through the practicum, students are certified to engage in real court cases under our attorneys' supervision.

Rachel says, "We want to give meaningful in-court learning opportunities to students to help put the doctrine they learn in the classroom into practice."

And she adds, "We have an attorney shortage in Indiana and we try to show that representing clients, in a public interest field, is rewarding. We hope that many students will continue to work with low-income families and ideally stay in Indiana."

Public interest law focuses on serving the public good, and that includes protecting underrepresented groups.

Rachel says many of the law students have expressed an interest in working in the public interest field, or moving to a state where counsel for children is mandatory, so they can practice there.

"Students also say that our client stories, with foster children, were extremely impactful on them," Rachel states.

Our attorneys are dedicated to helping create new stories for vulnerable foster children--stories where they are in homes where they are safe and loved.

Rachel says, "It is up to us, as lawyers, to push for what is right for those less fortunate among us."

19/01/2026

“I think I have discovered the highest good. It is love.” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

On this Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, we choose love.

Love for every child.

Love for all people.

Love for the good in us.

As a pivotal leader, who left his mark on the past and the present, we honor Dr. King as a champion of human rights for all oppressed people and as a champion of children and youth.

Today we, too, champion children and advocate for justice, opportunity, and well-being for them.

And we share these profound words from Dr. King about achieving peace in our nation:

🌟"If we are to have real peace, we must begin with the children".🌟

13/01/2026

We are excited to welcome a new and impactful member to our Child Advocates team!

Jen Bolander is our new Chief Development Officer. She is also a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE).

Jen joined us during the holidays and has 'hit the ground running.'

She has spent her career in nonprofit fundraising and philanthropy with a focus on corporate and foundation partnerships, major gifts, and building sustainable revenue strategies. Jen most recently served as the Director of Corporate & Foundation Giving at Community Health Network Foundation.

Prior to that role, Jen worked in development roles with organizations which included the American Red Cross and the YMCA. She also did consulting work with education and community-focused nonprofits.

Jen says, "A common thread in my work has been partnering with staff and community stakeholders to connect mission, impact, and resources in ways that are both strategic and deeply human."

And here is why Jen says she joined Child Advocates: "Because of the heart of the mission: ensuring children have a voice, safety, and consistent advocates in some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. The combination of direct support for children, systems-level work, and a strong commitment to justice, opportunity, and well-being for children really resonated with me."

Jen adds, "I see a team that is both mission-driven and thoughtful about how to grow and sustain that impact over time. I knew this was work I wanted to be part of."

As she peers into the near future, Jen says, "I hope to help build a broad, sustainable base of support so that our programs can grow and adapt to community needs. And I want to elevate the powerful stories of our children, families, and staff in ways that honor their experiences and inspire others to get involved."

On a personal note, Jen is a Mom to a middle school–aged daughter who she says keeps her grounded, busy, and laughing.

And she shared a guiding principle for her work in development. "Relationships come first. I believe philanthropy is ultimately about inviting people into meaningful work that changes lives, not just about dollars raised. I want to be sure that I lead with curiosity, clarity, and care." And when people support our work, Jen wants to ensure that they feel seen and appreciated.

Jen understands that our supporters are part of the beating heart that helps us serve some of Indiana's most vulnerable children.

Please help us welcome Jen to our team! We know she will have great impact as a child advocate.

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Opening Hours

Monday	08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday	08:00 - 17:00
Thursday	08:00 - 17:00
Friday	08:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+13172053055

Website

http://www.childadvocates.net/

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