In honor of Pride Month, Texas CASA CEO Vicki Spriggs talked with Currey Cook from Lambda Legal about the overrepresentation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) children in the child welfare system and the unique challenges they face while in care. Cook is the Director of the Youth in Out-of-Home Care Project and Counsel in the National Headquarters Office of Lambda Legal, the oldest and largest national legal organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and people with HIV.
Before joining Lambda Legal in 2013, Cook was the Co-Director of the Bronx office of The Children’s Law Center New York (CLCNY), a nonprofit law firm representing children in custody, visitation, guardianship, domestic violence, paternity, and related child abuse and neglect proceedings in New York City Family Court, for three-and-a-half years. While at CLCNY, Cook led the organization’s efforts to work more effectively with LGBTQ clients and their families and represented the organization on a NYC Family Court committee dedicated to addressing LGBTQ issues.
Conversations with CASA is an online series from Texas CASA that explores current issues and trends affecting child welfare, our children in care and our network.