Child in Need of Protection or Services (CHIPS)

What is CHIPS?

CHIPS stands for “Child in Need of Protection and/or Services.” These are very complicated and delicate cases, and we are proud to have built a niche in this area of law.

We provide birth parent representation in CHIPS matters, if we believe the outcome sought is in the child’s best interests. We also provide representation for foster parents and relatives of the child, when they disagree with an objective sought by a county in a CHIPS case and feel they need independent representation during the CHIPS proceedings.

We also have substantial experience in dealing with urgent and tragic situations in which a child ends up in CHIPS proceedings, for example, by advocating for a foreign grandparent when their grandchild was left parentless and in the Wisconsin foster care system due the homicide and suicide of the birth parents.

Finally, our passion for advocating for children with special needs, and our compassion for their parents, intersects with our experience in CHIPS matters. We can help parents access services for children who are struggling at home, and sometimes even help find a new living situation for the child when services have failed. A self-filed CHIPS action may be an avenue for parents to get such help.