Who We Are
Guided by the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Young Center has developed the only program in the nation that provides independent Child Advocates, whose job it is to advocate for the child’s best interests—safety and well-being. The Child Advocates meet with the children and learn each child’s story, why the child came to the U.S., and what, if anything, the child has to return to in home country. With this information, volunteer Child Advocates work alongside Young Center attorneys and social workers to make recommendations that champion the child’s best interests.
What We Do
The Young Center is a human rights organization that advocates for the rights and best interests of immigrant children. Young Center attorneys and social workers, along with bilingual volunteers, are appointed as Child Advocate (guardian ad litem) by the Department of Health and Human Services. Our role is to advocate for their best interests—from custody and release to the ultimate decision about whether the child will be allowed to remain in the U.S. Our goal is to change both immigration policy and practice so that immigrant children are recognized first as children and their best interests are considered in every decision.
