Who we are

We are lawyers, social workers, academics, and a retired judge - professionals with decades of decades of experience working with  parents and children in the child welfare system. We've seen firsthand the barriers parents face when trying to get support. 

Parents under investigation by a children's aid society often struggle with poverty, housing instability, addiction, and other systemic issues. Services can be fragmented, scarce, and difficult to understand and access. These  parents lack support to help them access the services required to reunite with their children - like counseling, housing, or addiction treatment. Yet, positive outcomes often hinge on whether parents can access the support they need.

Navigating the child welfare process alone can be traumatic and stigmatizing. Most professionals involved lack lived experience, leaving parents isolated and feeling misunderstood.

Encircle integrates peer support, service navigation, and legal assistance to give parents practical, holistic help in maintaining relationships with their children.

We are especially committed to supporting families from marginalized communities, who are overrepresented in the child welfare system. By centering peer and community-based supports, Excircle's service model shifts the child welfare experience from a top-down, isolating process to one that empowers parents and offers them support and partnership.