This book presents an outline of the fundamental concepts of child advocacy and its emergence as a social movement dedicated to improving the welfare of special education/special need children, delinquent children, and other children in need of social services.

Tompkins addresses the alienation of children from supportive environments vital to their psychological and social development, a complex problem which often includes deficiencies at home, school and in the community, and which is often compounded by subtle forces that "identifies" children as abnormal while failing to provide resources to improve their welfare.

Tompkins outlines the principles of child advocacy, how they have evolved, and how advocacy plans can be implemented by individuals, community and professional groups, and educators. Model programs, training procedures, and strategies for collaborating with college and university personnel are presented.

A subject of growing importance for public, professional, and political communities, this book explores advocacy as a process that seeks to champion the rights of all children and make every child's needs known and met.