Children’s Rights Clinic Course Information
Youth with disabilities are overrepresented in the juvenile justice system. The Children’s Rights Clinic, a unique partnership with the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program (Alabama’s Federally Funded Protection and Advocacy System), provides legal advocacy and representation to court involved young people with disabilities in West Alabama to ensure their needs are met and their rights are upheld. Here’s what we do:
- Juvenile Court Advocacy: We visit children with disabilities in detention and provide legal advocacy for them in court proceeding to ensure their access to treatment, accommodations, and education are upheld.
- Educational Advocacy: We attend educational meetings for children involved in juvenile courts as well as other children in the West Alabama area who reach out for special education advocacy. We also file educational complaints when appropriate.
- Support: We help young people with disabilities and their families get the right services in schools and in the community. We also assist schools in creating suitable plans for their students. We also maintain the library at the Tuscaloosa Juvenile Detention Center to support students that are detained.
- Information, Referrals, and Technical Assistance: We provide guidance to anyone in Alabama, including school systems and teachers, regarding special education and related services.
How We Help: Services Overview:
The Children’s Rights Clinic offers free legal help to children with disabilities in West Alabama. We focus on cases that come through the juvenile court system. There’s no charge for our services, and we don’t require families to meet any income criteria. Here’s how we can assist:
- Legal Advice and Representation: Our clinic handles cases related to juvenile justice, special education, mental health services, bullying, and foster care.
- Qualifying for Services: If a child is involved with the juvenile court of Tuscaloosa County and someone involved with the case asks that we be appointed, we can help. We also provide special education advocacy outside of juvenile court to children in Tuscaloosa, Jefferson, Bibb, Hale, Greene, Pickens, Walker counties on a limited basis.
Our Program
We’re a program of the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program that is housed at and works in partnership with University of Alabama School of Law Clinics. Funded by grants from the United States Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Education, we provide legal aid to juvenile justice involved youth in Tuscaloosa County and surrounding areas. Our team of students and clinic director tackle various legal issues that affect juveniles. We’re here to stand up for the rights of young people and support their well-being.