Legal Counsel for Youth and Children

Mission

Legal Counsel for Youth and Children (LCYC) protects the interests and safety of youth in Washington by advancing their legal rights. We accomplish our mission through direct legal representation, strong community partnerships, and systemic advocacy.

Description

LCYC provides free civil legal representation to young people in Washington State. LCYC is the only civil legal aid provider in Washington engaged in direct legal representation across multiple systems: child welfare, juvenile court, immigration, and youth homelessness. In 2025, LCYC served over 1,000 young people across 24 counties. The majority of youth served by LCYC are between 12 – 24 years in age.

LCYC empowers youth by helping them understand and engage in complex legal systems, influencing court decisions that will impact their lives and their families forever. We listen to each young person’s  needs and provide legal options to help them reach their goals: some youth need legal support to stay connected to their families, others need legal services to escape an abusive home, or to remain lawfully in the United States. Unlike teachers and social workers, attorneys are not mandated reporters, which creates a uniquely safe and confidential environment for youth to disclose information and problem solve without fear.

Young people of color and LGBTQ+ young people are overrepresented within these systems and among those served by LCYC. We regularly review our data to ensure that legal aid and systemic change is effectively reaching, centering, and advancing the legal rights and opportunities of young people harmed by racism and other forms of oppression.

LCYC uses a holistic approach and is integrated into the community through strong community partnerships. LCYC does not have a physical office – attorneys meet youth where they are (such as shelters, schools, and drop-in centers) to remove barriers to access. LCYC is committed to expanding access to justice, which means not only providing direct support to youth and connecting them with resources, but also doing our part to provide education to youth and community partners on what legal aid is and how to identify when legal support might be needed.