Our Impact
LCYC’s holistic advocacy plays a critical role in keeping young people safe, connected, and housed.
In 2024, LCYC served over 800 young people across Washington State. 232 of the young people served were supported by LCYC attorneys through Washington’s Office of Public Defense Youth Access to Counsel program.
The charts below include data for closed cases only and do not include information on youth connected to us through the Youth Access to Counsel line. In 2024, LCYC closed cases involving 385 youth and young adults.
DEMOGRAPHICS OF YOUTH SERVED, 2024
Demographics of youth served in 2024 (closed matters only) can be filtered by practice area. LCYC is appointed to represent youth in child welfare and juvenile court cases. In contrast, immigrant youth and youth seeking services through the Youth Homelessness Program (YHP) connect to LCYC through outreach and referrals. Youth are connected to LCYC through schools, service provider partners, and other supportive adults. LCYC also receives self-referrals from youth.
Demographics of youth served by county through YHP (Clark, King, Pierce, Skagit, Thurston, Walla Walla) are reviewed internally to ensure that services are not just available to, but effectively reaching those disproportionately impacted such as BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ youth.
LOCATION OF YOUTH SERVED, 2024
LCYC is appointed by the court to represent youth in child welfare and juvenile court matters. For our youth homelessness and immigrant youth programs, LCYC performs intentional outreach to community partners for referrals. In 2024, LCYC had staff physically present in Clark, King, Pierce, Thurston, Skagit and Walla Walla Counties. Through a combination of in-person and virtual service, LCYC supported youth across 19 counties in Washington.
Legal Needs, 2024
LCYC closed cases involving 385 youth (average of 2 legal issues addressed per youth). Please explore the three tabs below to learn more about the legal issues LCYC addressed for different populations of young people.
Examples of how we support youth:
We help young people connect with safe and stable housing through both in court and outside of court representation.
We advocate in and out of court for youth who are already in the child welfare system, so they stay connected to or placed with family.
We support youth planning for their independence and coming into their full selves, securing identity and documentation needs.
We create legal resources to raise awareness and inform young people of their civil legal rights and options.
““[LCYC attorneys] are a power house team member. They are able to really do what we can’t and communicate in a system in a way that we can’t. It cuts around the corners that we get stuck at a lot. Youth feel really empowered when they have a lawyer on their side.” ”
“LCYC’s services had an immediate, positive impact on clients.”
-MEMConsultants, LLC May 2018
Positive Outcomes
To measure our success and define our approach, we consider (1) the direct services provided and the demographics of the youth we reach; (2) the strength and diversity of our partnerships; and (3) our ability to identify and transform challenges met through direct services into actionable systemic change.
Our direct representation is successful if we have resolved the youth’s legal needs, preserving their rights, interests, and safety. The “success” of most of our legal advocacy is defined by the youth.
We partner with the youth, family members, schools, and community service providers to safely support the youth's goals. We help young people build and strengthen support systems, which will outlast the duration of our legal advocacy.
Youth of color and LGBTQIA+ youth are over represented within all of the systems that LCYC navigates - child welfare, juvenile court, immigration, and youth homelessness.
Behind every number is a young person. We encourage feedback from young people we support and others in the community who engage with LCYC. You can provide feedback via email to our Executive Director, Rhea Yo.