PURPOSE
The New Jersey Council for Children's Rights (NJCCR) is a not-for-profit corporation
established to focus on the rights of children to have meaningful relationships
with both parents. See our Mission Statement
and Disclaimer for more details.
PHILOSOPHY
The Directors of NJCCR believe that our society, in general, and our children
in particular, are being negatively affected by the breakdown of the family
unit. The effects upon children of divorce and separation are significant
and must be addressed if we are to promote a stable society. We believe that
research and education are critical elements in protecting the future of our
children. NJCCR is committed to gathering and disseminating information, which
will address these issues.
HISTORY
Originally organized in October of 1988, NJCCR's purpose was to address children's
access to the noncustodial parent arising from separation or divorce.
NJCCR today has evolved to become a coalition of non-custodial men and women,
husbands and wives, grandparents, and concerned individuals who focus on children's
needs and rights to enjoy 'and benefit from equal access to both parents and
their extended families.
STRUCTURE
The Board of Directors is comprised of a group of professionals from diverse
disciplines. Each member volunteers time and expertise to provide leadership
and education on issues of child access and related topics.
FOCUS
There is a void in research services, education, legislation, and judicial
action, which support children's rights of access to non-custodial parents.
It is well documented that intentional denial of parenting time causes children
to suffer emotionally and developmentally from grief, loss of affection, and
estrangement. Research reveals that the lack of access to the other parent
causes substantial emotional damage to children, resulting in lowered self
esteem, reduced school performance and unique problems in developing relationships
in adolescent and adulthood.
The judicial system is not always able to effectively enforce parenting time
with non-custodial parents. The legal system, and society, as a whole, needs
factual information about the serious consequences to children, which result
from a lack of access to their parents. General awareness is increasing and:
programs are being developed to address these problems, but NJCCR believes
that it is uniquely qualified and focus as to access issues. Based on this,
NJCCR will endeavor to act as a resource entity.
Families also need education and information since often there is no preparation
for divorce and no understanding of the problems which may manifest themselves
in children who do not have continued relations with both parents. The educators,
legislators, mental health professionals, and community service groups throughout
our state could benefit from NJCCR as a resource, an educational entity.
BENEFITS
We envision the development of healthy and stable children who will become
our future parents and leaders. Most importantly, the cycle of losses will
be broken. Children can suffer loss three times in the divorce process: loss
of an emotionally stable childhood, the loss of the ability to develop meaningful
relationships as young adults, and the loss of role models for cooperative
parenting when they marry and have children of their own.
GOALS
Our goals are to develop and make available educational resources for divorced
parents on a variety of issues as they relate to their children. Parenting
plans, custody options, emotional and financial child support, parenting time
(visitation), and out-of-state removal are but a few of our concerns. It is
our hope, also, that we can serve as a vehicle to legislators, courts, social
services, schools and others who deal with the disruption of the family unit,
to explain children's needs during separation and help insure that the parents
continue to play positive role in the healthy development of their children.
PARTICIPATION
If you would like additional information, a membership application, or would
like to make a tax deductible contribution, please contact:
Notable Quotations
"All of the
research on divorce has suggested that the loss of a continuing parent-child
relationship is the single most critical variable in the adjustment of the
child."
Philip Stahl
"Children who maintain meaningful involvement with both parents have
a distinct advantage in coping with divorce ... One of the best predictors
of good adjustment in children after divorce is low conflict between the parents.
Reliance on joint custody and mediation of custody disputes can reduce post
divorce conflict
Richard A, Warshak, Ph.D.
"All children
need and love both parents. This is just as true for infants. These essential
needs cannot be met with periodic, brief `visitation' encounters. The prime
stability in a child's life; is, in fact, the ongoing love and nurture of
both parents."
Dr. Robert E. Fay
"We find no evidence for the existence of a single `psychological parent'
with whom the tie is more critically important . . . The relationships with
mother and father constitute an emotional universe... if.. . one parent of
that universe is cut off, labeled as bad, and becomes unavailable (for the
child), there will be adverse consequences for the child's view of himself."
Committee on the Family Group for Advancement of Psychiatry
"Taken as
a whole, our findings point to the desirability of the child's continuing
the relationship with both parents during the postdivorce years in an arrangement
which enables each parent to be responsible for and genuinely concerned about
the well-being of the child."
Dr. Judith Wallerstein
Updated: 06/27/2006