Understanding Child Welfare and the Courts

Series Title: Factsheets for Families

Author(s): Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Year Published: 2011

(PDF - 304 KB)

Families involved with the child welfare system may have some involvement with the court—in most States, this occurs in a family or juvenile court. This factsheet is designed to serve as a quick guide to the general types of court hearings that a family may experience, and it traces the steps of a child welfare case through the court system.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Court Hearings in Child Welfare Cases

Who Should Attend Hearings and Reviews?

Child Welfare Laws in Your State

Questions to Ask the Child Welfare Caseworker About Court Hearings

Resources to Help Prepare a Child or Youth for Court

For More Information

We also recommend the following Information Gateway publications:

How the Child Welfare System Works
(Factsheets)
What Is Child Abuse and Neglect? Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms
(Factsheets)
Kinship Caregivers and the Child Welfare System
(Factsheets for Families)

Suggested Citation: Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2011). Understanding child welfare and the courts. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Bureau.

This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway.