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Florida Child Abuse Attorney: Journal Reveals Allegations of Child Sex Abuse

August 9th, 2016   No Comments   Abuse, Advocacy

When a judge admits that a case of suspected child sexual abuse is “by far one of the worst allegations I have ever seen in my career and it greatly disturbs this court,” it should raise alarms among child advocates, South Florida child abuse lawyers, and Fort Lauderdale foster child supporters.

That was Broward Judge Michael Davis’ comment following the revelation of a child who said that the child and two siblings had been sexually abused. The defendant, Amber Williams, 29, has been charged with molesting a child under age 12 and child neglect.

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Florida Foster Child Abuse Attorney Named to ‘Super Lawyers’ List

July 15th, 2016   No Comments   Abuse, Advocacy, JusticeForKids.us

Howard M. Talenfeld, the preeminent Florida foster child abuse lawyer and children’s rights attorney, has been included in the 2016 Florida Super Lawyers list. Talenfeld was selected to the 2016 Civil Rights Super Lawyers category. Talenfeld has been listed in Florida Super Lawyers Magazine since 2006 and was named in the “Top 100: 2014 Miami Super Lawyers” list.

Talenfeld is the Founder and Managing Partner of Talenfeld Law, the first law firm in Florida to focus exclusively on protecting the rights of physically and sexually abused, medically fragile, foster and other at-risk children. Known throughout the legal community and national media as having established the nation’s premier children’s rights practice, his work on behalf of at-risk individuals has earned multimillion dollar awards and resulted in sweeping judicial and legislative reforms.

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Florida Couple Arrested for Child Abuse Highlights Need to Report Harm

June 20th, 2016   No Comments   Abuse, Advocacy

Throughout society, law enforcement officials and child abuse advocates and foster care attorneys implore citizens who witness crimes to take an important step: “See something? Say something.” An Okeechobee, Florida, mother has been arrested for not reporting suspected abuse of her two young children perpetrated by her husband.

Detectives with the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office and investigators from the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) reportedly arrived at the family’s home this month on reports of child abuse. Investigators reported that the children, aged 2 and 4, suffered bruises and black eyes. One child had hair pulled out, the police reported. It was characterized as “extreme physical injury,” according to news reports.

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Tampa Community to Celebrate Foster Child Advocates on June 7

May 18th, 2016   No Comments   Advocacy, Florida's Children First

Join some of Tampa’s leading child advocates, child abuse attorneys, and those who fight for the rights of Florida’s foster children and other neglected kids whenFlorida’s Children First hosts its Tampa Bay Area Child Advocacy Awards & Reception. The event will be held on Tuesday, June 7, 2016, from 5:15pm to 7:30pmat The Law Offices of Shook Hardy & Bacon (100 N. Tampa Street, Suite 2900, Tampa 33602). Register Now.

The event will honor some of the Tampa area’s most prominent and tireless child advocates. They include:

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Florida’s Children First Honors Miami-Dade State Attorney, Senator and Public Defender’s Office at its Miami Awards Reception

April 20th, 2016   No Comments   Advocacy, Florida's Children First, Foster Care

Florida’s Children First (FCF), the statewide advocacy organization focused on protecting the legal rights of at-risk and foster care children, had a very successful Miami-Dade awards reception last week.

Dozens of community and business leaders, and all other persons concerned about the future of Florida’s abused, abandoned and neglected children, were there to honor the 2016 award recipients. This year’s Champion for Children award went to Sen. Anitere Flores, who has been an active advocate since her teen years and has been in public service since 2004. Receiving Child Advocate of the Year Awards were Katherine Fernandez Rundle of the State Attorney’s Office and Carlos J. Martinez of the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office. Additionally, Edward Cody was honored as the 2016 Youth Advocate of the Year for Miami.

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Florida Advocates’ Successful Push for Florida Foster Kids Gets Tuition Exemptions for College, Graduate Education

March 25th, 2016   No Comments   Advocacy, Education Issues, Foster Care

When a former foster child from Sarasota was accepted to Florida International University Law School, he wondered how he’d pay for it. After all, foster families often don’t have the money for such expenses. While state law granted tuition exemptions for foster kids seeking undergraduate and graduate educations, the State University System of Florida Board of Governors (BOG) refused to require state schools to grant exemptions.

That’s changing. After four years of work by Florida Youth Shine, Florida’s Children First, and other advocacy groups, committed lawmakers, and pro bono legal counsel that brought an administrative challenge, the BOG has directed state universities to grant exemptions to accepted students from foster care. A full repeal of the rule is said to be under consideration.

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University of Miami Law School Alumni to Honor Children’s Rights Lawyer Howard Talenfeld

March 3rd, 2016   No Comments   Advocacy, News & Events

Howard M. Talenfeld, a leading Florida foster care abuse attorney and life-long advocate for children’s rights, will be honored with the University of Miami Law Alumni Association’s Alumni Achievement Award at its annual Broward County Judicial Reception. The event will be held on Wednesday, March 23, 2016, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., in the 7th floor ballroom of the 110 Tower (110 Southeast 6th St., Fort Lauderdale 33301).

Talenfeld graduated from the University of Miami School of Law in 1979 and has spent much of his career defending the rights of and seeking damages for children and the developmentally disabled harmed in cases of child abuse, child sexual abuse, and denial of benefits.

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Fort Lauderdale Event to Celebrate Florida’s Foster Children and Advocates

February 22nd, 2016   No Comments   Advocacy, Florida Youth Shine, Florida's Children First, Foster Care

This Thursday, dedicated South Florida child advocates who fight to protect the state’s most vulnerable foster children and at-risk kids will gather for the Broward Child Advocacy Awards & Reception supporting Florida’s Children First, the state’s leading child advocacy organization.

The event will be held at The Riverside Hotel (620 East Las Olas Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, 33301) on Thursday, February 25 from 5:30pm- 7:30pm.

Register here. Sponsorships are still available.

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Success Stories of Florida Youth Shine’s Former Foster Children

February 19th, 2016   No Comments   Adoption, Advocacy, Florida Youth Shine

In its 10 years serving Florida’s at-risk foster children, Florida Youth Shine has helped thousands of current and former foster children find their way – and serve as examples for other kids going through the state child welfare system. One such success story is Janice Goldsberry.

Janice with FYSNow 22 years old, Janice was in foster care for 11 years, from the age of 7 until she “aged out” at 18. She was often separated from her two siblings, had been in 15 homes that she can recall, 11 middle and high schools, and was the victim of the emotional trauma common to foster children.

Though her feelings of emotional neglect and depression continue, Janice still is a success story.

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Florida Claims Bills Seek to Help Abused Children Who Wait Years for Damage Awards

February 13th, 2016   No Comments   Abuse, Advocacy, Court Cases, Damage Claims, Department of Children & Families (DCF)

Children across Florida who have suffered rape, child sexual abuse, child abuse, and other personal injury often wait years to receive damage awarded by the court or juries – if they ever receive the money at all. Claims bills now before the Florida Legislature could make money available to help these victims receive the money they desperately need.

In one example, a Wellington boy, 9, was sexually assaulted by a foster child his parents had agreed to raise, not knowing the boy had suffered sexual abuse and had become a child-on-child predator. A Palm Beach County jury in 2013 found that the Florida Department of Children and Families was negligent and awarded the boy $5 million for damages and what could be a lifetime of treatment and therapy.

He’s yet to receive any money. “He’s living a life of paralysis,” said Howard Talenfeld, the attorney representing the now 22-year-old man.

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Florida’s Children First to Honor ‘Youth Advocate of the Year’ on Feb. 26 in Fort Lauderdale

February 9th, 2016   No Comments   Advocacy, Florida Youth Shine, Florida's Children First

Tiervondria “Tia” McCall is an amazing, and inspiring young lady, even though she struggled with stability and safety for most of her life. She will be honored as the Youth Advocate of the Year at the Florida’s Children First Broward Child Advocacy Awards & Reception. The event will be held Thursday, February 25, 2016, from 5:30pm- 7:30pm at The Riverside Hotel (620 East Las Olas Blvd.) in Fort Lauderdale.

Click here to register or learn more.

Tia and her brother lived with her mother and stepdad until the age of eight. After her stepdad died she was separated from her brother but eventually reunited in the care of her brother’s grandmother, until the age of 17.

Throughout this time, Tia suffered from verbal and physical abuse often witnessing drug use in her home. She could have easily taken the wrong path but she focused her time and effort working hard in school for a better life for herself and her younger brother.

Today, she is the model of success. For the past five years, Tia has grown to be an amazing leader in Florida Youth SHINE, having become the youngest president of a Florida Youth SHINE chapter at age 15. She has served as President of the Broward chapter for the past three years and has lead, recruited and impacted youth around the state.

She is now 18 years old, a freshman at Broward College studying Criminal Justice, works part-time and interns at Florida’s Children First.

Join Tia and other honorees who do so much for Florida’s abuse and injured children. Honorees include Champion for Children Dr. Frederick Lippman; and Child Advocates of the Year Stuart Singer & Carl Goldfarb with law firm Boise Schiller & Flexner.

Florida Supreme Court Rules for Lawyers for Foster Children

January 24th, 2016   No Comments   Advocacy, Court Cases, Department of Children & Families (DCF)

When the Florida Supreme Court issued its Juvenile Rules Opinion this week on requiring attorneys for Florida foster children with special needs, it was the successful culmination of a 10-year effort by the state’s leading foster child advocates, including the Florida Guardian ad Litem (GAL) program and Florida’s Children First (FCF), as well as the Legal Needs of Children Committee of The Florida Bar.

The Court ruled to implement legislation requiring legal representation for at-risk children facing administrative hearings. Read the ruling here.

Since the 1990s, FCF, the state’s premier child advocacy organization, and the GAL have worked closely advocating the legislation. They two organizations jointly submitted comments to the court supporting advancement of state legislation providing for attorneys ad litem and other programs to require legal representation for children in the child welfare system.

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