Focused knowledge · Practical support
Know the process.
Find your voice.
Rights-focused education and careful preparation for Illinois families facing DCFS and juvenile court — with official resources you can read for yourself.
DCFS matters
Understanding the stages of a case, keeping a factual timeline, tracking notices, and preparing questions for your attorney or case team.
DCFS investigations & appealsAdministrative appeals
Support with indicated findings and eligible service appeals. The type of decision and the governing rules determine the available process.
Read the Part 336 appeal rulesGrandparents & relatives
Help organizing kinship-care records, placement communications, service concerns, and questions about family involvement.
Who may bring a service appealRights & accountability
Educational resources on the Illinois Juvenile Court Act, state and federal constitutional protections, and documentation of agency decisions.
Find family & child welfare resourcesWays to work together
Support shaped to your situation
Start here
General consultation
Talk through your situation, understand the stages of a DCFS case, and map out clear next steps.
- 45-minute private conversation
- Plain-language overview of your case stage
- A written next-steps summary
Get organized
Document & records support
A careful, factual review of your records and timeline so nothing important slips through the cracks.
- Up to 50 pages of supplied records
- Document index and factual timeline
- Missing-record list + 20-minute follow-up
Have someone in your corner
Appeals & ongoing advocacy
Preparation, communication support, and authorized representation in eligible DCFS administrative appeals.
- Records and hearing preparation
- Family meeting and communication support
- Administrative appearances where permitted
Accessible support, with the scope agreed first. These are proposed starting fees. Additional pages, preparation, travel, or extended work require a written quote before work begins. No outcome-based fees.
One step at a time
From overwhelmed to organized.
Tell me what you need.
Choose a service and request a conversation. You can begin with a short overview.
Agree on a plan.
We confirm the scope, fee, timing, and any authorization before work begins.
Move forward prepared.
Build an organized record, prepare your questions, and get support for the next step.
Books & family resources
Understanding is a powerful beginning.
Kristi's writing on family, child welfare, and advocacy — practical guidance you can read at your own pace.
The Parent's Guide to Fighting Child Welfare Court
Your step-by-step companion through a DCFS case.
A practical, plain-language guide to understanding the child welfare court process, your rights at every stage, and how to prepare and advocate for your family.
Illinois DCFS: The Truth
What every Illinois family should know.
An investigative, honest look at how the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services operates — and how families can protect their rights and demand accountability.
The Illinois Relative Caregiver's Handbook
For grandparents, relatives, and kinship caregivers.
Everything kinship caregivers need to organize placement records, understand service concerns, and support a child while navigating the system.
Meet your advocate
A mother's perspective. An advocate's resolve.
Kristian "Kristi" Nuzzo-DeMito
Certified family advocate · Author
Investigative journalist
Kristi is an Illinois family advocate, investigative journalist, and legal and constitutional strategist focused on DCFS and juvenile court. She founded the ReelNewz.Press investigative platform and the "Family Over Foster" movement, and helped drive the KIND Act (Kinship and Demand Act) in Illinois along with a federal CPS-oversight bill.
"Every person deserves to be heard, every child deserves protection, and every parent deserves due process."
Background & memberships
Kristi is an advocate, not an attorney. Everything she provides is educational and organizational support, not legal advice. For legal opinions and representation, consult a licensed attorney.
What families say
You are not alone in this.
"Kristi helped me understand the process when I was completely overwhelmed. For the first time, I felt like someone was actually in my corner."
"The records support was a turning point. We finally had an organized timeline and knew exactly what to ask at the next hearing."
"Calm, factual, and honest. Kristi never promised outcomes — she helped me prepare and find my voice."
Ready when you are.
Create an account to book a consultation, organize your case, and sign your certified advocate retainer online.