Observing Development in Young Children: Strategies from Children’s Justice Clinic

This session will provide an overview the new Children’s Justice Clinic with special attention to how effective interactions with young children may provide insight into the child’s developmental trajectory. The Children’s Justice Clinic is a clinical program at the University of Nebraska College of Law for third-year law students interested in serving as guardians ad litem for young children. The Clinic partners with the Center on Children, Families, and the Law to provide students with the specialized knowledge and skills necessary to represent this vulnerable population to go beyond those required to be an effective lawyer. Young children in child welfare cases have disproportionate developmental delays. In simple interactions, even non clinicians can observe and understand the emerging developmental needs of a young child. This session will discuss how this developmental knowledge can improve child advocacy.