This article will attempt a new approach, one based on an analysis of the child\u27s interests in a child protective proceeding. As will be discussed in Part 1, most interests are surprisingly overlooked or barely articulated in the representation debate. Part 2 will summarize the statutes and case law governing the role of the child\u27s counsel in the child protective litigation continuum. The frequently lengthy process may range from initiation by a child protective agency to the achievement of family reunification or other permanency goal. For children, the continuum of sequential proceeding may span years or decades. Finally, Part 3 will outline a possible solution to the present complex, inconsistent, and frequently incoherent paradigm, one grounded upon traditional representation, as applied to the multiple child interests at stake in every child protective case
