The Child Advocacy Clinic, which is part of Harvard Law School’s Child Advocacy Program, (CAP) is designed to educate students about a range of social change strategies and to encourage critical thinking about the pros and cons of different approaches. The clinic is relevant for students with a particular interest in children’s issues as well as for students interested in social change.

Students are placed at a different organization/agency serving children, with a focus on substantive areas such as:

• child welfare (abuse and neglect, foster care and adoption);
• education; and
• juvenile justice.

The placements use a range of strategies to spark social change such as:

• individual client representation;
• impact litigation;
• legislative and policy reform;
• alternative dispute resolution;
• grassroots organizing;
• community education; and
• social entrepreneurship.

Some students will work for reform from within the system and others from outside. For more information on past placements, see our Master List of CAP Clinic Placements. Most placements are in the Boston-area, although the Winter/Spring option opens the possibility of working with organizations beyond Boston.