This is a unique family law resource, reflecting the real-world issues that are critical for working with child clients in dependency and family court settings. The authors--a psychologist who has worked with children since the mid-1980s, and an attorney who almost exclusively represents children in dependency court matters--recognize that lawyers who represent children must understand them, the system in which they are engaged, the services available to them, the schools they attend, their ethnic and cultural issues, their special needs, the legal issues they face outside of family and juvenile courts, and more. In addition, lawyers need to understand the issues faced by the parents with whom they live.

While some children's representatives work exclusively in this area and want to delve deeper into the issues of family dynamics examined in this book, this is also a useful resource for those who work with children's cases less frequently or are just beginning in the area and have had limited or no exposure to these issues. This clearly written and logical guide is an informed resource accessible to professionals at any level of experience.

Topics include:

• Conceptualizing the role of the children's representative, and well as intriguing thoughts about how this can evolve in the future


• Critical psychological issues involved, including trauma, child development, domestic violence, high-conflict separation and divorce, alienated or resistant children, and other special circumstances


• Professional responsibilities, including ethical issues in representing children, risks of bias in your work, and recognizing the professional toll involved

Table of Contents

Introduction

Section I - Conceptualizing the Role

Chapter 1: The Role of Children's Representatives as They Stand Today

Chapter 2: Unique Questions Related to Our Work with Children

Chapter 3: Imagining a New Role

Section II - Critical Psychological Issues to Understand

Chapter 4: Trauma

Chapter 5: Child Development

Chapter 6: Introduction to Domestic Violence and Its Impact on Children

Chapter 7: High-Conflict Separated and Divorced Parents

Chapter 8: Alienated-Resistant Children

Chapter 9: Special Circumstances

Section III - Professional Issues

Chapter 10: Ethical Issues in Representing Children

Chapter 11: Recognizing Risks of Bias and Illusion in Your Work

Chapter 12: The Professional Toll

Index