Our Mission,
Vision & Values

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Mission vision and values

Our Mission

The Center for the Rights of Abused Children unites the nation to do more, be more, and change more for children.

Our Vision

For a child in crisis, safety can’t wait. We’re here to rescue children in danger, ensure their protection, and restore the simple joy of an ordinary childhood.

Our Leadership

Our vision is forged around our dinner tables in our own homes—where we are relative caregivers, foster parents, and adoptive moms, dads, and siblings. It is forged again in courtrooms, where we hold the hands of children as their pro bono lawyers when they would otherwise stand alone. Those frontline experiences shape everything we do. They drive the policy innovations and legal precedents that have helped more than one million children.

Our Values

Every Child’s Dignity & Safety

We believe that a child’s right to safety is absolute. Every child has inherent worth and deserves to grow up free from fear and abuse.

Family & Belonging

We believe family is the foundation of a healthy life. Children thrive in stable, loving homes where they are known, protected, and cherished. Our work is dedicated to ensuring every child has a safe and loving home.

Justice & Accountability

We believe in equal justice under the law. The child welfare system wields extraordinary power over children’s lives, and that power must never go unchecked. Rules must be followed. Decisions must be fair. Power must be exercised in the light.

Excellence & Integrity

We believe children deserve our very best. Their safety and future depend on the quality of our work. We hold ourselves to the highest standards in legal advocacy, policy reform, and professional conduct.

Courage & Moral Clarity

We believe protecting children requires courage. It means telling hard truths, confronting powerful institutions, and refusing to look away when systems fail. We do not bend to convenience, politics, or pressure. When children are at risk, we choose clarity, conviction, and action.

Front

A Broken System

Before the Center

No legal voice
Children faced court alone, their voices and rights dismissed.

After the Center

A new era of protection

A voice in court
Children in more states now have attorneys, more safety, fewer moves.

Front

A Broken System

Before the Center

Forgotten and lost
20,000 children vanish annually, cases closed, victims re-victimized.

After the Center

A new era of protection

Diligent searches
Immediate searches for relatives, reduced delays, sibling bonds protected.

Front

A Broken System

Before the Center

Endless limbo
Years in foster care drift, separated from siblings, waiting for family.

After the Center

A new era of protection

Fast track to family
Immediate and ongoing searches for missing children and notification to and collaboration with law enforcement.

Front

A Broken System

Before the Center

Aging out alone
20,000 children aging out alone.

After the Center

A new era of protection

Family for teens
New paths to permanent homes.

 

Front

A Broken System

Before the Center

Financial theft
States spent orphan and disabled children’s survivors’ benefits.

After the Center

A new era of protection

Funds safeguarded
Funds preserved for the children’s futures.

Front

A Broken System

Before the Center

False accusations
Parents wrongly accused, unnecessary removals.

After the Center

A new era of protection

Families protected
Clear rules of engagement protect innocent families.

HHS

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Adoption Excellence Award.

Angels in Adoption

Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute: Angel in Adoption Award.

Arizona Capitol Times: Multi-year honoree, including Leader of the Year in Public Policy and Best Non-Profit Leader.

Transparency Seal

Candid/GuideStar: Consistent Platinum Seal of Transparency, the highest level of recognition for nonprofit accountability.