diff --git a/src/main/java/net/kemitix/node/Node.java b/src/main/java/net/kemitix/node/Node.java
index 66f9910..c569773 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/kemitix/node/Node.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/kemitix/node/Node.java
@@ -127,6 +127,25 @@ public interface Node<T> {
     Optional<Node<T>> walkTree(final List<T> path);
 
     /**
+    /**
+     * Searches for a child with the name given.
+     *
+     * @param name the name of the child
+     *
+     * @return an Optional containing the child found or empty
+     */
+    Optional<Node<T>> findChildNamed(String name);
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the child with the given name. If one can't be found a
+     * NodeException is thrown.
+     *
+     * @param name the name of the child
+     *
+     * @return the node
+     */
+    Node<T> getChildNamed(String name);
+
      * Returns true if the Node has a name.
      *
      * @return true if the node has a name
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/kemitix/node/NodeItem.java b/src/main/java/net/kemitix/node/NodeItem.java
index 6815350..fb8908b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/kemitix/node/NodeItem.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/kemitix/node/NodeItem.java
@@ -286,6 +286,25 @@ public class NodeItem<T> implements Node<T> {
     public Node<T> createChild(final T child) {
         if (child == null) {
             throw new NullPointerException("child");
+    @Override
+    public Optional<Node<T>> findChildNamed(final String named) {
+        if (named == null) {
+            throw new NullPointerException("name");
+        }
+        return children.stream()
+                       .filter((Node<T> t) -> t.getName().equals(named))
+                       .findAny();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Node<T> getChildNamed(final String named) {
+        final Optional<Node<T>> optional = findChildNamed(named);
+        if (optional.isPresent()) {
+            return optional.get();
+        }
+        throw new NodeException("Named child not found");
+    }
+
     @Override
     public boolean isNamed() {
         return name != null && name.length() > 0;