The New Jersey Child Placement Advisory Council
Working to improve the well-being of children and youth in foster care through advocacy, education, and outreach.
We are a statewide advisory council of dedicated citizen volunteers which support county Child Placement Review (CPR) Boards. These boards are composed of individuals like you who understand the need for foster children and youth to be safely reunited with their families. CPR volunteers review cases of children in foster care to ensure that the children and youth entering each year experience out of home placement as a temporary, not a permanent solution. When a child is unable to return to their home, we advocate for a permanent, healthy, and stable placement (i.e. adoption).
CPR volunteers that represent our communities are vital to our mission of advocating for every child removed from their home. Under the auspices of the Administrative Office of the Courts, NJ CPAC offers comprehensive training and support to our volunteers, across all 21 counties in New Jersey. CPR Board members with at least one year of experience may be nominated to serve on the NJ CPAC board.
All NJ CPAC executive board members also serve on their respective county review boards. The objectives of these reviews are to ensure that children and families involved with New Jersey's family court system and the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (CP&P) receive appropriate services and timely planning.
NJ CPAC's goal? We want every child in New Jersey to grow up safe and secure with a permanent family.
Established in 1978 with the New Jersey Child Placement Review (CPR) Act, NJ CPAC has several legal mandates, including:
- Review CP&P policies, practices and procedures with respect to the placement of children outside their homes. This includes ensuring that the CP&P provides appropriate services and finds safe permanent homes in a timely manner to all children and youth who need them.
- Submit an annual report to the NJ State Supreme Court, the Governor, and the Legislature on the effectiveness of the implementation of the Child Placement Review Act in promoting the well-being of children and youth in out-of-home placement.
- Advise the NJ State Supreme Court with respect to the rules governing the duties and practices of CPR Review Boards and the establishment of guidelines and procedures for their training.
