Teen Legal Rights Resources - Center for Children's Advocacy

Resources below will answer some questions about teen legal rights.
For specific information, please contact Attorney Stacey Violante Cote.

Benefits (Money, Food, Medical)

Child Support Information for Teen Mothers

Child Support Information for Teen Fathers

TFA – Cash Assistance for Teen Parents

How to Keep your Lights and Heat Turned On

Connecticut Department of Social Services (website)

Social Security Administration (website)

Bullying

Bullying
Check back by August 2025 for an updated version of our anti-bullying brochure.

Stop Bullying

Teens Against Bullying

Connecticut Department of Education, Bullying and Harassment

Criminal Record

Applying for Jobs and Housing: What I Need to Know About My Criminal Record

Stopped or Arrested?
Know your Rights in a Police Encounter

Can I Get My Record Erased?
Police Records, Court Records, School Discipline Records

Online tool to find out if you can get your record erased
Connecticut Legal Services

DCF Care

Speak Up! Legal Rights in DCF Care

DCF to DMHAS – What Happens When I Turn 18?

DCF-DMHAS Memorandum of Understanding

DCF Services Post-Majority

DCF Adolescent and Transitional Services

DCF Adolescent Policies

DCF Adolescent and Transitional Services (website)

Foster Care Alumni (website)

National Network for Young People in Foster Care (website)

Dating Violence

Is Love Supposed to Hurt Me? (brochure) (poster)
Is your boyfriend/girlfriend hurting you, stalking you or sending threatening messages?

Break the Cycle (English or Spanish) (website)

Center for Adolescent Health and the Law (website)

National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline

Delinquency and Detention

Can I Get My Record Erased?
Police Records, Court Records, School Discipline Records

Online tool to find out if you can get your record erased
Connecticut Legal Services

Education

English Language Learners (ELLs)
Rights at School

English Language Learners – State Dept of Education Information for ELLs

Financial Aid for College If You’re Not Living with Your Parents

Push Out – What does the law say?

Scholarships for Students in Greater Hartford

School is Here No Matter What – Connecticut State Department of Education Resources for Homeless Students

Special Education

Special Education – Protecting Your Rights (ctlawhelp.com)

Rules, Rights and Regulations in School (ctlawhelp.com)

School Expulsions
Legal Resource Assistance Center of Connecticut (LARCC)

Starting College: Tips for Special Education and Disabled Students

Emancipation

How Can I Get Emancipated?

A Teenager’s Guide to Emancipation
Legal Resource Center of Connecticut (LARCC)

How to Get your Birth Certificate
The law can help you

Employment

Applying for Jobs and Housing: What I Need to Know About My Criminal Record

Health Care and Mental Health Care

Is it Confidential? (English) (Spanish)
Can you see a doctor without your parent/guardian’s consent?
Reproductive health care, including HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, birth control, abortion, safe havens for newborns.

Statutory Rape – Definitions and the Law
If your boyfriend or girlfriend is 3 years older than you, can you get in trouble with the law?

Center for Adolescent Health and the Law (website)

Connecticut AIDS Resource Coalition (website)

Homelessness

US Department of Education McKinney-Vento Homeless Guidance
Non-Regulatory Guidance to help school districts and States implement Every Student Succeeds amendments to McKinney-Vento.
Fact Sheet for school staff, teachers, administrators on impacts of homelessness, rights of homeless students, tips to support students and families.

Guide to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness
Housing, food, basic needs, health care

Moving Around A Lot: Legal Rights of Youth who are Homeless
Center for Children’s Advocacy

College for Students who are Homeless

SchoolHouse Connection

Federal Aid for Homeless Students
NAEHCY website (National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth)
CSCU and DSS offer free classes to anyone eligible for SNAP at 12 community colleges. Click here for information.

School is Here No Matter What – Connecticut State Department of Education Resources for Homeless Students

Identification (ID)

How to Get ID if You Do Not Have It»

Immigration

Immigration – What are my rights? What are my options?
Can I go to school? Can I become a legal permanent resident of the US?

Inmigracion – Cuales son mi derechos? Que opciones tengo?
Si estoy aqui ilegalmente, puedo ir a la escuela? Como me convierto a un residente permanente legal?

2025 Immigration Know Your Rights

Living in Connecticut: Immigrants and Refugee Teens (English, Spanish, Karen)
Information about school, work, ID cards for immigrant and refugee teens.

English Language Learners (ELLs)
Rights at School

International Institute of Connecticut

International Institute of Connecticut (website)

American Civil Liberties Union – Immigrants’ Rights (website)

Immigrant Legal Resource Center (website)

National Immigration Law Center (website)

National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (website)

“Deferred Action” for Youth brought to the U.S. as Children (USCIS.gov)

US Immigration: Citizenship, Green Card, Visas (website)

LGBTQ+ Teens

LGBT Teens – What are my rights?
Are you being bullied or feel like you’re discriminated against? Your legal rights in school, foster care, detention and home.

New Haven Pride Center (website)

Trans and Gender Non-Comforming Youth