Prerequisites: None

Exam Type: No Exam

This course deals with strategies for changing law and policy, focusing on child welfare (abuse and neglect, foster care, adoption), education, and juvenile justice. We bring into the classroom as visiting lecturers leaders from the worlds of policy, practice, and academia—successful change agents representing different disciplines, career paths, and strategies for change. We explore significant reform initiatives, and debate with the speakers and each other how best to advance children’s interests. The emphasis is on different approaches to social change, inside and outside of the courtroom, with the goal of informing students’ future advocacy efforts.

Visit the Child Advocacy Program (CAP) website to see a schedule of the speakers and topics from previous semesters.

Course requirements consist of reaction papers related to the readings and class presentations.

This course is part of the Child Advocacy Program (CAP), whose other courses include: Child, Family, and State, Children and the Law, Family Law, the Child Advocacy Clinics, and the Future of the Family seminar. Enrollment in other CAP courses is encouraged.

Cross-registrants are welcome.