Who We Are

The Legislative Drafting Institute for Child Protection (LDICP) was established to respond to the need for clearer, better researched, and more easily implementable laws in the area of child protection. Our aim is to create highly specific legislation for organized grassroots groups seeking to accomplish a child-protective objective.

Using a problem-solving methodology developed by Robert B. Seidman, late Emeritus Professor of Law and Political Studies at Boston University School of Law, the LDICP researches and produces child-protective legislation. Our process focuses on data-gathering, and our policy recommendations are thoroughly grounded in evidence and rigorous analysis. Our drafted legislation and summary reports will be posted and will remain available to the public on this website.

The LDICP has established a project at Southern University Law Center (SULC) to provide training, mentorship, and paid internships for law students interested in pursuing careers in children’s law and public policy. Our relationship with SULC is not exclusive, and the LDICP remains open to establishing similar projects at any law school or university with a methodology-based legislative drafting program.

The LDICP is governed by the policies established by our Board of Directors and our actions remain unified with our mission through regular consultation with and oversight by the Board. In keeping with the public nature of a non-profit organization, the Board’s membership is diverse and is drawn from a wide range of professions engaged in child protection. The Board’s membership is voluntary and no Director is paid for his or her service.

If you are a grassroots organization that wishes to request LDICP services, contact us here for an application form. Requests from organizations will be assessed by a committee of our Board of Directors using the criteria specified in the application.

The LDICP is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.