NCJ Number
152283
Journal
Family Law Quarterly Volume: 27 Issue: 3 Dated: (Fall 1993) Pages: 417-431
Date Published
1993
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This article identifies obstacles to the creation of coordinated systems for representing children in court proceedings and discusses aspects of a comprehensive scheme that can lead to the effective representation of children.
Abstract
An effective and comprehensive system for the representation of children in court proceedings requires that a number of elements be present. First, each court system must have a range of interested, well-trained, and able personnel, including attorneys, volunteer advocates, and other support persons available to ensure that appropriate representation is selected. Next, there must be a coordinated child advocacy system. Such a system would screen cases to determine the advocacy needs of the child and to assign the child an appropriate representative. In some cases, independent representation of the child's interests may not be necessary, and a parent or other interested person may be able to represent the child adequately. In other cases, however, it may be necessary to have a volunteer advocate or an attorney, or both. There must also be a victim-witness support program that includes services for children who must appear in legal proceedings. Such a coordinated child advocacy system has the capacity to monitor the child's progress throughout the legal proceedings and to respond creatively to the child's unmet needs. The author traces the development of a child advocacy coordinating council in Santa Clara County, California. 28 footnotes