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.
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.
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: New Jersey Council for. Children's Rights at P.O. Box 391 Bloomsbury, New Jersey 08804-0391 or phone us at 908-892-5843

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"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