At first, the child protection system will seem to be a very confusing and cumbersome collection of courts, governmental agencies, and private entities-- both non-profit and for profit.  There are a host of different players in the system with different titles and different roles.   There are no shortage of agencies with a plethora of acronyms.    It will sometimes appear as if people in the system are speaking a foreign language-- at  least as foreign as the language of lawyers must seem to the justice-consuming public.

Part of your job will to learn the language of child protection just as you are learning the language of the law.   You need to understand child protective talk so that you can properly represent your clients with these agencies and in court.  You also need to be able to translate for your clients so that they can make intelligent decisions in their own best interests.   We hope this handbook will provide a healthy starting point.

The good news is that we have every confidence that you will master the terrain and the language of child protection.   In many ways, the child protection community is peopled by a remarkable collection of individuals extremely dedicated to helping children.   There is a lot to be learned from most of the people in the child protective system.  Most of them are more than happy to assist in any way they can.

So, our first piece of advice is simple:  Go slowly.  Take your time and, above all, ASK QUESTIONS.  If you don't understand something, ask about it.  If you hear a new phrase or acronym, ask what it means.  One of the first steps in learning how to learn from experience is to learn how to ask questions.

You will be encountering some experiences that are new to you whether it be speaking in court, writing a motion or interviewing a child.   It may seem like you are leaping off a cliff with no knowledge of how to fly.   And while we want you to stretch yourselves, remember that you are not alone.   Don't try to be the Lone Ranger.  We are a team-- a  team that includes your supervising attorney, your partner (most of you will be partnered with another student), and the rest of the members of the Clinic.

Therefore, our second bit of advice is just as simple as the first.  Talk about it.  Share your problems and experiences with the other members of the Clinic team.   Brainstorm with other Clinic students.   Knock on your supervisor's door.  Use what others have learned to help yourselves to solve problems.  Use the team.

Third, despite all the lawyer jokes, we know full well that lawyers have feelings, too.  In the course of representing your clients, you will undoubtedly be exposed to some of the darker sides of life-- to drug-abusing parents who don't seem to care about their children; to angry or frightened children who don't seem to be able to negotiate the world into which they have been thrust; to agency personnel who don't seem to have the time, energy, or resources to do their jobs properly.

It is not easy to watch other people's difficulties-- particularly those of children.  It will be especially frustrating to realize that, as a child's lawyer, you cannot fix everything.  It may be even more difficult if  your client's situation evokes something personal in you.   It is perfectly normal to experience anger, frustration, or sadness at what you observe.

While we cannot tell you how to feel, we can tell you that it is important to recognize your feelings and to deal with the fact that they exist.  Share them with others if you feel comfortable doing so; if you don't, keep a journal or diary.   Whatever you do, try to be reflective about how the experience of representing children affects you.

Learning to reflect is one great and important step in learning how to learn from experience.   It is central to what we are trying to accomplish in the Clinic.