Chance at Childhood

The Chance at Childhood

The Chance at Childhood Certificate Program, offered jointly by the MSU School of Social Work and the MSU College of Law, is intended to cross-train law and social work students interested in legal advocacy on behalf of abused, neglected, and at-risk children and families. Both Clinical and OCL social work students and upper-class law students may pursue this program to gain hands-on practice and advocacy experience.

Background:

• Each year thousands of children become involved in the family court through child protection and domestic relations cases.
• Other children become involved in guardianship cases through the probate court.
• Regardless of the specific legal issue that brings a child into Michigan's court system, that child will be faced with a complex variety of legal and non-legal issues.
• Children need competent and effective advocates to work on their behalf and to provide an independent voice in Michigan’s court system.

Program Components

The Chance at Childhood Certificate Program requires satisfactory completion (minimum grade of 3.0) of the following:

• SW 879 (3 cr, fall): Social Work and Law: Interdisciplinary Practice in Child Welfare
• Law elective (2-3 cr) in the MSU College of Law Family Practice sequence
• Field placement in the Chance at Childhood Law and Social Work Clinic either in the generalist or advanced year

Contact Person

Contact Person: Joe Kozakiewicz, JD, LMSW
Email: kozakiew@msu.edu

Certificate Application

Note: The MSW Certificate Application is not provided here. Please refer to the MSU School of Social Work for the application process.