In 1992, MAC became part of the network of civil legal aid agencies in Massachusetts, and through that network, began the Children’s Law Support Project, with three goals:

• Identifying the emerging legal needs of Massachusetts’ low income children.
• Providing back-up legal support to legal service agencies around the state; and 
• Conducting advocacy at the state level to create system change. 

Legal services organizations, as well as public interest and pro bono attorneys, increasingly rely on MAC for technical assistance in areas affecting children.  CLSP builds and participates in coalitions with legal services and other organizations to meet the needs of low income children as they arise, through collaborative legislative and administrative advocacy, and where necessary complex litigation. MAC coordinates the Education Law Task Force to provide on-going training, information and technical assistance to over 130 lawyers and advocates in the state.

MAC receives calls from about 450 families a year seeking advice, information or representation on concerns related to special education, school exclusions (suspensions or expulsions), the needs of children exposed to family violence, schooling disrupted by homelessness, autism, and MCAS.  These  cases inform all of the work of MAC’s intake, and the intake of other legal services offices inform all of the policy and statewide advocacy work of MAC.  Currently, CLSP is focused on the needs of children affected by domestic violence, disabilities, school suspension and expulsion, and homelessness.  However, it retains the flexibility to respond to other issues as they arise.