Delaware Volunteer Legal Services

08/20/2026

08/17/2026

Delaware Law faculty, staff and students are actively shaping conversations across the greater legal community. Explore some of the media highlights our community has contributed to this summer, including work from Associate Professors Veronica Finkelstein, Brendan Conner, Geeta Kohli and Beth Jennings; Emeritus Professor Lawrence Hamermesh; and student Carson Francis.

🔗 Read more: https://www.widener.edu/news/in-the-media?school=31526

08/17/2026

CLASI's Disability Rights Delaware (DRD) program is the designated Protection & Advocacy agency for Delawareans with disabilities.

We just released our proposed priorities for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2026 (FY27) and are requesting public comment now through Sept. 30, 2026.

Please take a moment to comment — your opinion matters! The effectiveness of our advocacy depends on strong community support and feedback.

To review our proposed priorities and to submit comments, please visit: https://www.declasi.org/drd/

Thank you!

[Image description in alt text and comments.]

08/17/2026

DATAC Human Trafficking Awareness Series | Week 2 of 12

Traffickers Don’t Target “Bad Kids.” They Target Vulnerabilities.

Human traffickers don’t look for perfect victims—they look for opportunities.

A child doesn’t have to run away, use drugs, or come from an unstable home to be at risk. Traffickers are skilled at identifying unmet needs and exploiting them for their own gain.

Some vulnerabilities traffickers commonly exploit include:

• Feeling lonely or isolated.
• Wanting acceptance, love, or belonging.
• Family conflict or instability.
• Prior abuse or trauma.
• Financial hardship.
• Time spent online without trusted adult guidance.
• A desire for independence or escape.

These vulnerabilities are never a child’s fault. They are opportunities traffickers deliberately seek to exploit.

📚 Research Spotlight

The Polaris Project reports that traffickers often recruit victims by identifying emotional, financial, or social vulnerabilities and then using manipulation, affection, false promises, or coercion to gain control.

Research from the CDC’s Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study has shown that childhood trauma can increase vulnerability to future victimization. While having ACEs does not mean a child will be trafficked, reducing trauma and strengthening supportive relationships are powerful protective factors.

World Without Exploitation emphasizes that prevention begins by strengthening families, communities, and systems that reduce children’s vulnerability before traffickers can exploit it.

⚖️ Delaware in Action

Delaware continues to strengthen protections for children through multidisciplinary collaboration.

House Bill 42 enhanced Delaware’s response to child trafficking by strengthening coordination among agencies, supporting multidisciplinary approaches, and improving protections for child victims. These efforts help ensure that children are identified sooner and connected to the services they need.

Through DATAC, Delaware brings together law enforcement, educators, healthcare professionals, child-serving agencies, victim service providers, prosecutors, and community organizations to create a coordinated statewide response to human trafficking.

🤝 What You Can Do

One of the greatest protective factors in a child’s life is one trusted adult.

Take time to listen without judgment. Build trust. Encourage open conversations. Help children know they can always come to you—no matter what.

Strong relationships are one of the most effective tools we have to prevent exploitation before it begins.

Protective adults create protected children.

08/14/2026

Delaware Volunteer Legal Services attended the Health & Wellness Fair, held as part of Resident Appreciation Week at Chelten Apartments in New Castle, DE. Andrea White

08/13/2026

📢 2027 LIFE Conference Scholarships Are Available!

Do you want to attend the 2027 LIFE Conference: From Advocacy to Action but need financial assistance? A limited number of scholarships are available to help eligible individuals attend this exciting event!

📅 Conference Date: January 27, 2027
🕗 Time: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
📍 Location: Bally's Dover Conference Center

To be eligible, you must:
✅ Be a Delaware resident
✅ Be a person with a disability or a family member of a person with a disability
✅ Demonstrate a need for financial assistance

⏰ Application Deadline: October 2, 2026

📧 To apply, email: [email protected]

🌐 To learn more about the conference, visit: lifeconferencede.org

Don't miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and be part of a day focused on turning advocacy into action! Apply today before scholarships are gone.



Image Description: A colorful promotional graphic announcing a limited number of scholarships for the 2027 LIFE Conference: From Advocacy to Action. The left side features a stack of brightly colored sticky notes with the words "Scholarships Available Now!" and highlights the October 2, 2026 application deadline. The right side lists the conference details: January 27, 2027, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM, at Bally's Dover Conference Center. It also outlines the scholarship eligibility requirements: applicants must be Delaware residents, be a person with a disability or a family member of a person with a disability, and demonstrate financial need. The bottom of the graphic includes the LIFE Conference logo, the hashtag , and the application email address [email protected].

08/13/2026

08/13/2026

❗️The National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH) is toll-free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year.❗️
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 to:
- GET HELP
- REPORT A TIP
- LEARN MORE

08/12/2026

Be careful with people on Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp or Instagram who promise fast results, guaranteed papers or special connections.
Immigration legal advice should come from a licensed attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative working through a recognized organization.
La Esperanza has DOJ-accredited immigration representatives who work directly with families to review their options and avoid scams.
Before sharing money, documents or private information, pause and verify.
Source: USCIS

08/12/2026