First Star improves the lives of America’s abused and neglected children by strengthening their rights, illuminating systemic failures and igniting necessary reforms. We pursue our mission through research, public engagement, policy advocacy, education and litigation.
First Star fights for a future in which America’s abused and neglected children will have won full recognition of their fundamental right to be heard and protected by the systems legally entrusted with their care, a future in which those systems are fully resourced, transparent and accountable to the public.
Guiding Principles
- Systemically Focused: We work towards a day when all systems entrusted with the protection of neglected and abused children do so excellently, using every available resource of skill, caring and science.
- Synergistic: We pursue each of our goals through a multi-faceted approach that combines research, public engagement, education, policy advocacy, and litigation.
- Collaborative: We work in coalition and in partnership with others to pursue our goals. We reinvent no wheels.
- Results-oriented: We work in areas where there is a strong likelihood of successful impact, and track and report on our results of our work.
- Entrepreneurial: We continuously explore new and creative methods and opportunities to fulfill our mission.
- Bold: We take issues that may be considered to be controversial by others in the field.
- Non-Partisan: We believe that child maltreatment is not a partisan issue and work to engage people across the political spectrum to support our work.
- Expert-Driven: The leading experts in the field inform the content and quality of our programs