Home > Responding to Child Abuse & Neglect > Intake, Investigation, & Assessment > Working With the Courts in Child Protection > Related Resources: Working With the Courts in Child Protection

Related Resources: Working With the Courts in Child Protection

Resources and information about working with the courts in child protection, including State and local examples.

ABA Center on Children and the Law
Seeks to improve the laws, policies, and judicial procedures affecting children by supporting legal representation for youth, facilitating coordination between attorneys and caseworkers, reducing court delays, and providing training to court professionals involved in child welfare.

Child Abuse and Neglect
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ)
NCJFCJ is dedicated to improving the court system's handling of juvenile and family matters through applied research, technical assistance, and continuing education of judges and juvenile justice professionals on family violence, child abuse and neglect, and child protection and custody.

Child Welfare and the Law

Confidentiality Statutes of Child Protection Proceedings
Connecticut Voices for Children (2004)
Includes a review of State statutes, a chart showing the provisions of different States, and the findings of a study that investigated the experiences of professionals in selected States where there was either openness in child protection proceedings or some level of access for the media or other individuals who were not essential to a case.

The Impact of Parental Substance Abuse in Dependency Cases (PDF - 811 KB)
National CASA Association (2005)
Discusses the need for judges, attorneys, child advocates, and social workers to be alert to the potential for parental substance abuse as soon as a child enters care, and for courts to promptly screen and assess parents and children to identify their needs.

Mediation in Child Protection Cases (PDF - 199 KB)
Edwards
Journal of the Center for Families, Children & the Courts, 5, 2004
Describes the judge's role in proceedings, details the shortcomings of the traditional adversarial process in resolving child protection and related family issues, and introduces mediation as a viable alternative and best practice.

Myers on Evidence in Child, Domestic and Elder Abuse Cases
Myers (2005)
View Abstract
Designed to assist judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, investigators, and expert witnesses working with child abuse or domestic violence cases. Includes a primer for legal professionals on empirical research.

National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues
Provides expertise to State and tribal agencies and courts on legal and judicial aspects of child welfare.

Preparing a Case for Court, Including List of Factors to Consider in Determining Who Likely Committed the Crime
Parrish, Turkel, Lauridson, Alexander, & Vendola (2005)
In Child Maltreatment: A Clinical Guide and Reference (3rd ed.)
View Abstract
Tips for criminal prosecution in child abuse cases, proving a sexual abuse case, obtaining evidence, and preparing child witnesses. Also addresses child physical abuse and homicide by abuse.

Privacy and Information Sharing in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases (PDF - 326 KB)
National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues (2001)
Discusses legal barriers to child protection agencies obtaining and sharing information in child abuse and neglect cases, and legal barriers to obtaining information for dependency court proceedings.

Safety and the Legal Process, Part 1: The Temporary Custody Hearing
ACTION for Child Protection (2005)
Highlights the need to use safety intervention concepts when invoking court involvement.

(Back to Top)

State and local examples

Court Teams for Maltreated Infants and Toddlers (PDF - 144 KB)
Zero to Three & National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (2004)
Describes the Miami-Dade Juvenile Court model to facilitate screening, referral, therapeutic intervention, and Head Start for families involved in the child welfare system.

Creating a Constructive Practice: Family and Professional Partnership in High-Risk Child Protection Case Conferences
Lohrbach & Sawyer
Protecting Children, 19(2), 2004
View Abstract
Details the implementation of the Parallel Protection Process, an alternative justice intervention that uses family case planning conferences to achieve a settlement agreement in an initial child protection matter before the juvenile court system in Minnesota.

(Back to Top)

Updated on March 1, 2010