The mission of Child Watch is to educate the community about the problems of at-risk children, and to mobilize our citizens to achieve collaborative and innovative solutions.

Description:
Child Watch is devoted to the needs of all at-risk children, but we are especially concerned about the children who are wards of our local child welfare system. Child Watch is comprised of a 15 member board of directors, a coalition of over 200 concerned citizens and professionals and two part time staff. We have been involved in the advocacy efforts which resulted in a new juvenile court building, a new hearing officer program at juvenile court, and the program which feeds the children in juvenile court each day. We continue to participate in advocacy efforts which improve the lives of children in the child welfare system.

History:
Child Watch began as a project of the Children's Home of Pittsburgh in 1995. The Home was looking to begin an advocacy program for children. At that time Child Watch Advisory Board President, Judy Horgan learned about the Children's Defense Fund's Child Watch Project. Over 100 communities across the United States have received training in child advocacy from CDF in Washington and organized coalitions around the U.S. to address the social problems which affect children. Our coalition chose, at that time, to focus its work on the children who are "stuck in the child welfare system" Child Watch of Pittsburgh has continued to grow since 1995. In 1999 we formed our own advisory board and moved our offices to FamilyLinks. In November, 2004, we moved to our current location at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh in the North Side. We are involved with a number of initiatives which seek to improve the lives of dependent children. These include and have included feeding the children who wait for hearings at the Allegheny County Juvenile Court each day; conducting a story hour several mornings a week at the court; conducting educational tours of the court for concerned citizens; helping to author the hearing officer proposal at the court; working to achieve a new juvenile court building.

Contact person: Gerry Collier, Project Coordinator, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: (412) 322-4932

Address:

10 Children's Way, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15212 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.childwatchofpittsburgh.org

Directions:

Volunteer opportunities are located at the Allegheny County Juvenile Court which is located at 440 Ross Street in downtown Pittsburgh. The court is located in the county's old jail complex which is directly in back of the County Court. . . (more)   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: USX building,   Walk distance (in minutes): 5   Nearest Bus Stop: Fifth & Grant Streets, 5 minute walk For maps or information, please see http://www.portauthority.org/ride/ride.html

Miscellaneous Information

Are court referrals welcomed?
	No
Is act 33/34 clearance required of your volunteers?
	Yes