A life's work in the Children's Court Clinic: the historical development of the Clinic in the forensic field and the politics impacting on the Court Clinic and now on the law.

Over 50 years' experience at the Children's Court Clinic of Victoria informs this valedictory account of its director. Changes over time to the model of service at the Clinic are detailed; an independent practitioner model (psychologist/psychiatrist) with oversight now endures, while the Clinic works exclusively for the Court. Clinic operations, clinicians, clients, reputation, the nature of referrals and the need for kindness in report writing are discussed. An integral theme is the politics of the child protection field, which can affect the Clinic, and lately – through new child law – has also affected the powers of the Court and the lives of children on care applications (and the purview of the Clinic's protection assessments). New child protection legislation is discussed along with its impacts on the care of a growing number of children, signalling the need to revisit the legislation, promote better engagement of families and greatly increase coordinated expert services to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]