Bringing Science to Justice

Background: Every 7 minutes, an infant or toddler is removed from their home due to alleged abuse or neglect that can have serious developmental consequences. The judicial system plays a  key role  in providing leadership for systems change through the development of multidisciplinary collaborative programs in child welfare. These innovative programs, including the supervision of child protective services,  improve outcomes for infants and young children,.

Methods: To describe the steps in building innovative collaborations with juvenile court to raise awareness among all parties involved with the young child, build partnerships, and influence systems change.  Evaluation includes measures of decreases in further abuse and neglect and factors that influence the length of time for the young child to achieve permanency, either through reunification with the biological parent, placement with relatives, or adoption

Findings: Evaluations of these programs have shown success in reaching the goals of decreased  time for young children to achieve permanency and a decrease in the incidence of further abuse. 

Implications:  Through innovations in juvenile courts around the country, these programs have shown that both the experience and outlook for young children in the child welfare system can be changed and that systems change can occur. Further, the programs raise awareness of the crucial role of judicial leadership and authority in the processing of child welfare cases that can serve as a catalyst for change.