Are you interested in how the law can be used to help low-income children and adolescents?
Are you thinking about a career in children’s advocacy or public interest law?
The Center for Children’s Advocacy offers law students a one-semester child advocacy clinic with formal instruction and on-the job training on legal advocacy for low-income children and adolescents.
Field Experience
Student interns may be exposed to and, in some cases, participate in:
- Hearings at the Superior Court for Juvenile Matters
- Drafting affidavits for youth involved in Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) cases
- Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meetings at schools
- Systemic advocacy/coalition meetings
- Legal trainings for youth and service providers
- Client meetings in client homes, foster homes, group homes, residential facilities, detention centers, and virtually
- DCF Administrative Case Review meetings
- Reviewing education and/or child welfare files
- Legislative hearings in the CT General Assembly (spring semester only)
Students will assist the legal staff at the Center in representing individual children in cases involving alleged abuse/neglect, special education, juvenile justice, and access to medical/mental health care. Legal research and writing will be assigned as needed for the cases and projects the Center is working on, as well as summarizing new child welfare case decisions for distribution. Students may also assist in updating training programs for lawyers, and engage in state-level legislative and administrative advocacy.
Class
Class will meet once a week for two hours at UConn Law, and be taught by a variety of attorneys from the Center. Readings and class discussion will cover substantive legal issues, as well as skills necessary to advocate effectively for youth.
Credit Hours
Students must sign up for both the fieldwork and class components. The course is one semester with four credits offered; two in the field and two in the classroom. Students are expected to put in approximately 12 hours per week, which includes class time and preparation for class.
Please contact Stacy Schleif, sschleif@cca-ct.org, with any questions.
Past student intern experiences included written and oral testimony on proposed state legislation:
Taylor Hansen
HB 7286 – An Act Concerning The Recommendations of the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee
http://ct-n.com/ctnplayer.asp?odID=13864&jump=4:13:51
at 4:13
Emilie Dajer-Pascal
HB 7121 – An Act Concerning Revisions to the State’s Safe Haven Laws
http://ct-n.com/ctnplayer.asp?odID=13803&jump=0:00:00
at 3:51
Pat Jackson
HB 7111 – An Act Concerning the Restraint, Seclusion and Placing in Time Out of Students by School Employees
http://ct-n.com/ctnplayer.asp?odID=13793&jump=0:00:06
at 4:34
Kara Zarchin
SB 397 – An Act Establishing an Independent Department of Children and Families Ombudsman
http://ct-n.com/ctnplayer.asp?odID=13723&jump=0:00:01
at 5:02
Jonathan Anderson
SB 954 – An Act Concerning the Development of a Plan for Universal Preschool
http://ct-n.com/ctnplayer.asp?odID=13854&jump=0:00:00
at 6:49
Student Testimonials:
“I’ve always been passionate about children’s rights, education and equality, and I was incredibly impressed by the work the attorneys at CCA did on behalf of children,” 2023 Child Advocacy Clinic Graduate, Jennifer Messina quoted in the UCONN School of Law Newsroom.
