Episode 3 – Legitimation: What Every Father Needs to Know

In this vital episode of The Kinship Crisis, we’re tackling one of the most misunderstood legal processes for fathers in Georgia: legitimation. If you're a biological father fighting for your rights or simply trying to understand your role in your child's life, this episode is for you.

Join me, Lenora Buckley, alongside guest co-host Catherine Hayes—my daughter and the aunt of my grandson currently in foster care—as we break down what legitimation means, why it's necessary in Georgia, and how it impacts families involved with DFCS. We discuss:

• Georgia state requirements for legitimation
• The step-by-step filing process and common mistakes to avoid
• What happens when the mother is married or contests the petition
• DFCS policy and how it intersects with fathers' rights
• Why legal representation is often critical in legitimation cases

Whether you're a father trying to stay connected to your child or a family member supporting someone through the process, this episode offers real talk, practical advice, and the legal knowledge you need to navigate the system.

Tune in and get empowered—because every child deserves family, and every father deserves a fair chance.

Contact Us:
If you have a story to share, would like to be a guest on The Kinship Crisis, or are a journalist or media outlet interested in featuring this issue, we’d love to hear from you.
📧 Email: [email protected]

Let’s work together to bring these stories to light and demand accountability.

In this episode of The Kinship Crisis, we uncover what DFCS is legally required to do when a child enters foster care—and how often those rules are ignored. We break down the diligent search mandate, explain both federal and state laws, and ask the hard question: are agencies truly searching for family, or pushing adoption instead? If you’re a relative or advocate, this episode is essential listening.

Contact Us:
If you have a story to share, would like to be a guest on The Kinship Crisis, or are a journalist or media outlet interested in featuring this issue, we’d love to hear from you.
📧 Email: [email protected]

Let’s work together to bring these stories to light and demand accountability.

In this powerful debut episode of The Kinship Crisis, host Lenora Buckley shares her personal and heartbreaking story of how her grandson was taken into foster care by the Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS)—despite the presence of willing, able, and loving biological family members ready to care for him. Lenora takes listeners through the series of events that led to her grandson’s removal, shining a light on the critical policies, procedures, and state laws that DFCS failed to follow.

This episode is more than a personal account—it’s a call to action. Lenora breaks down the systemic failures that too often keep children from being placed with family, and she lays the groundwork for future episodes that will explore these issues in depth. If you’ve ever questioned why so many children end up with strangers instead of relatives, or if you’re fighting your own battle with child welfare systems, this is the episode that will resonate deeply and ignite your advocacy.

Contact Us:
If you have a story to share, would like to be a guest on The Kinship Crisis, or are a journalist or media outlet interested in featuring this issue, we’d love to hear from you.
📧 Email: [email protected]

Let’s work together to bring these stories to light and demand accountability.