Children's Rights Council

Children's Rights Council
Motto	The Best Parent is Both Parents
Formation	1985
Type	Non-Profit Organization
Headquarters	Prince George's County, Maryland

The Children's Rights Council (CRC) is a global 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that focuses on children’s advocacy, legislative reform, and access/visitation services. It was founded in 1985 by David L Levy, Esq. and several other individuals who collectively have more than 40 years experience in helping to resolve custody disputes. The organization is headquartered in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area with 60 chapters in 39 states (including the District of Columbia) and international affiliates in Australia, Canada, Great Britain, France, Israel, Japan, Switzerland, and Sierra Leone. Prominent professionals in the fields of religion, law, social work, psychology, child care, education, business, and government comprise our Family Advisory Board.

Activities

CRC promotes legislation that works to benefit children through shared parenting. Seeking legislative reform, the organization is a strong advocate of joint custody. CRC also manages 26 Child Access Centers in 11 different states which provide supervised access and visitation of children and serve as safe transfer points for children who are moving from the custody of one parent to another.

In addition, CRC conducts research and submits testimony to Congress in regard to the well being of children. The organization's primary focus is to minimize the emotional, physical and economic abuse, neglect and distress of children and the development of at-risk behaviors following relationship breakups between separated, divorce, or never-married parents who are highly conflicted. In 1995, Cynthia L. Ewing testified as a Legal Analyst for CRC that states which had the most "intact" families had, for the most part, the highest rankings of children's wellness.

Goals

In support of this commitment to children, CRC has established a set of social goals based on program utilization of the Both Parents Approach model to help highly conflicted parents better cooperate and collaborate in the best interests of their children following break-up of the family. CRC's advocacy and program goals are designed to accomplish the following:

Mitigate the long-term damaging effects to children caused by divorce and relationship break-ups; Reduce total children at risk from developing harmful and destructive behaviors; Encourage non-custodial parents to remain emotionally & financially supportive of their child(ren); Advocate increased opportunities for access to non-custodial parents; and Decrease the nature, burden and expense of legal disputes and court interventions caused by persistent parental conflict.

Supporters

Supporters of Children's Rights Council are from a broad spectrum of backgrounds and from a number of diverse fields. CRC has received donations from celebrities such as Jamie Farr and David Brenner. CRC's former honorary president was Lady Catherine Meyer, Catherine Meyer the wife of the British Ambassador to the U.S., Christopher Meyer. Many other supporters include notable psychologists, doctors, researchers on children's issues, and business leaders. CRC receives most of its funding from foundations, court systems, and individuals.

Recent news

On November 3, 2008, Children's Rights Council was mentioned in The “Dear Abby” Column, which runs in 1,400 newspapers. The article was entitled “Man Pestered by Ex-Wife Must Act to Help his Son,” and CRC was referenced as an effective resource.

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