Child Welfare Information Gateway
Skip to main content
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
  • Administration for Children & Families
  • Children's Bureau
Child Welfare Information Gateway
REPORT ABUSE OR
NEGLECT
FIND HELP WITH A
PERSONAL SITUATION   

Home Topics Publications Library State Resources More Tools & Resources News & Events
REPORT ABUSE OR
NEGLECT
FIND HELP WITH A
PERSONAL SITUATION   
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Chat
  • Free Subscriptions
  • Resources in Spanish
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Chat
  • Resources in Spanish
  • Shopping Cart
  • Home
  • Topics
    • Family-Centered Practice
      • Philosophy and Key Elements of Family-Centered Practice
      • Family-Centered Practice Across the Service Continuum
      • Engaging Families
      • Family-Centered Casework Practice
      • Family Group Decision-Making
      • Engaging Communities to Support Families
      • Creating a Family-Centered Agency Culture
    • Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Definitions of Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Identification of Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Risk Factors That Contribute to Child Abuse and Neglect
      • People Who Engage in Child Abuse or Neglect
      • Impact of Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Child Abuse & Neglect Fatalities
    • Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect
      • National Child Abuse Prevention Month
      • Overview: Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Promoting Child & Family Well-Being
      • Public Awareness & Creating Supportive Communities
      • Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Programs
      • Developing & Sustaining Prevention Programs
      • Evidence-Based Practice for Child Abuse Prevention
      • Evaluating Prevention Programs
    • Responding to Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Introduction to Responding to Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect
      • Assessment in Child Protection
      • Differential Response in Child Protective Services
      • Child Protection Casework Practice
      • Responding to Child Maltreatment Near Fatalities and Fatalities
      • Trauma-Informed Practice in Child Welfare
      • Collaborative Responses to Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Supporting & Preserving Families
      • Supporting Families With Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
      • Introduction to Family Support and Preservation
      • In-Home Services Involved With Child Protection
      • Family Support Services
      • Resources for Managers of Family Support and Preservation Services
      • Family Preservation Services
    • Out-of-Home Care
      • National Foster Care Month
      • Overview: Out-of-Home Care
      • Foster Care
      • Group and Residential Care
      • Kinship Care
      • Casework Practice in Out-of-Home Care
      • Transition to Adulthood and Independent Living
      • Placement Decisions
      • Resources for Foster Families
    • Achieving & Maintaining Permanency
      • Overview: Achieving & Maintaining Permanency
      • Reunifying Families
      • Recruiting and Retaining Resource Families
      • Permanency With Relatives and Kin
      • Guardianship
      • Permanency for Specific Youth Populations
      • Legal and Court Issues in Permanency
      • Interjurisdictional Placements
      • Working With Children, Youth, and Families in Permanency Planning
      • Working With Children, Youth, and Families After Permanency
      • Resources for Administrators and Managers About Permanency
      • Resources for Families About Permanency
    • Adoption
      • National Adoption Month
      • All-In Foster Adoption Challenge
      • Children's Bureau Adoption Call to Action
      • Adoption and Guardianship Assistance by State
      • Introduction to Adoption
      • Ethical Issues in Adoption
      • For Adopted People
      • For Adoption Program Managers & Administrators
      • For Expectant Parents Considering Adoption and Birth Parents
      • How to Adopt
      • Laws Related to Adoption
      • Parenting After Adoption
      • Preplacement Adoption Casework Practice
      • Postplacement Adoption Casework Practice
      • Search & Reunion in Adoption
    • Management & Supervision
      • Administering & Managing Child Welfare Agencies & Programs
      • Child Welfare Practice Improvement
      • Disaster Preparedness & Response
      • Ethical Practice & Client Rights
      • Evaluating Program and Practice Effectiveness
      • Funding
      • Information Systems & Data
      • Supervising Child Welfare Services
      • System Reform
      • Training
      • Workforce
    • Systemwide
      • Assessment
      • Behavioral Health & Wellness
      • Courts
      • Cultural Responsiveness
      • Diverse Populations and Communities
      • Domestic Violence
      • Human Trafficking
      • Laws & Policies
      • Service Array
      • Statistics
      • Well-Being
      • Youth
  • Publications
    • Publications Series
    • Browse by Topic
    • Browse by Title
    • índice de Títulos en Español (Spanish Title Index)
  • Library
    • Library Services
    • Library Search Help
  • State Resources
    • State Statutes
    • National Foster Care & Adoption Directory
    • State Guides & Manuals Search
    • State-Related Organizations Lists
    • Adoption and Guardianship Assistance by State
  • More Tools & Resources
    • Related Organizations
    • Learning Center
    • Resources From the Children's Bureau
      • Children's Bureau Discretionary Grants
      • The Story of the Children's Bureau
      • Children's Bureau Video Series
    • Child Welfare Information Gateway Podcast Series
    • Multimedia
      • Videos
      • Webinars
    • Family Engagement Inventory
  • News & Events
    • Free Subscriptions
    • Adoption Triad
    • Children's Bureau Express (CBX)
    • The Grantee Connection
    • New on Information Gateway
    • New From the Children's Bureau
    • Event Calendar
  • Home
  • Topics
  • Adoption
  • All-In Foster Adoption Challenge
  • All-In Challenge: Courts

All-In Challenge: Courts

Learn more about how courts are working to achieve permanency for children in care.

  • Alabama
  • Florida
  • Kentucky
  • Pennsylvania
  • Puerto Rico
  • Texas

Alabama

Alabama courts are partnering with the state to remove barriers for waiting children

Alabama adoption being finalized using a court hearing convened through Zoom

Alabama adoption being finalized using a court hearing convened through Zoom

The state of Alabama has been working in partnership with their courts to ensure that new barriers to in-person contact due to COVID-19 don’t keep adoptions from being finalized, whenever safely possible. In one case, the state requested that a judge reconsider a court order preventing a child from visiting a prospective adoptive family and it was GRANTED! This child is now in her forever home. In other cases, the state has been able to work with the courts to finalize adoptions via court hearings convened through Zoom. We are encouraged by Alabama’s collaborative efforts with the courts to ensure that nothing impedes permanency for their waiting children!

(Back to Top)


Florida

Florida judge continues work to finalize adoptions despite court building closures

We applaud the efforts of Judge David M. Gooding, Circuit Court Judge in the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida, for taking the initiative to continue adoption hearings virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of March 27, in the 2 weeks since Judge Gooding had to leave his courthouse, he issued orders that placed 31 children in foster care with their forever families. Thank you, Judge Gooding, for continuing this critical work to finalize permanency for these children! 

(Back to Top)


Kentucky

Kentucky courts use data and collaborative partnerships to support timely permanency for children

Heather Carvell, case manager, and the Honorable Deanna Henschel, judge, McCracken County Family Court

(Left) Heather Carvell, case manager, and (Right) the Honorable Deanna Henschel, judge, McCracken County Family Court 

The Kentucky Administrative Office of the Court’s (AOC) Family and Juvenile Services has worked closely with Kentucky judges and AOC’s Research and Statistics Department to provide data reports allowing them to prioritize hearings for a child in a preadoptive home or a trial home visit. As a result, permanency has been achieved for those children through rapid adoptions. For example, on May 15, 2020, McCracken Family Court Judge Deanna Henschel received an AOC email notification providing data on children in preadoptive/adoptive placements, in trial home visits, or nearing age 18. After reviewing the cases, Judge Henschel noticed an adoption petition filed in March 2020 that was only lacking the guardian ad litem report. Thanks to Judge Henschel’s responsiveness in following up with the attorney, this child’s adoption was finalized on May 27, 2020 using Skype! The new AOC triage case management process in Kentucky is working successfully within a remote-work atmosphere during the pandemic.

In an effort to support meaningful cross-systems collaboration, Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Debra Hembree Lambert leads a Judicial Engagement Workgroup comprising child welfare agency staff, family court judges, AOC’s staff, and youth advocates. The workgroup was convened to enhance communication, disseminate best practices to the field, and provide judges and court officials guidance about the best way to provide solutions for the immediate needs of families. The group meets monthly to update all stakeholders on changes, barriers, and challenges; answer questions; and discuss any future considerations and responses for the courts.

We applaud these strategic and collaborative efforts by Kentucky’s courts to promote timely permanency for children! 

(Back to Top)


Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania courts are All In supporting meaningful collaboration

The Office of Children and Families in the Courts is part of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Court’s Judicial Programs Department and receives guidance and direction from the state Roundtable, which is chaired by Supreme Court Justice Baer. The state Roundtable commissioned the state’s Permanency Practice Initiative and, most recently, the Family Engagement Initiative. Both efforts showcase the power of court and agency partnerships in improving outcomes for children and families and are key projects of the Court Improvement Program. The Family Engagement Initiative includes three critical components: family finding (to ensure children are surrounded by a lifelong network of kin supports), crisis/rapid-response family meetings (to ensure meaningful partnerships with families that support decision-making), and enhanced legal representation (to support high-quality representation and ensure judges receive accurate information to inform decisions). We are encouraged by the collaborative efforts of the agency and court in Pennsylvania!

(Back to Top)


Puerto Rico

Collaborative efforts in Puerto Rico are effective in finalizing adoptions for waiting children

The first adoption hearing held by videoconference in Puerto Rico during the pandemic

The first adoption hearing held by videoconference in Puerto Rico during the pandemic 

Puerto Rico has been All In by creating strategies to promote adoption for every eligible child. As soon as the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders began, Puerto Rico identified which adoption cases were pending court finalization in order to schedule court hearings by videoconference. The courts, through the Court Improvement Program, and the child welfare agency have been working together to make sure that court notifications in adoption cases are being sent directly to the adoption social worker by email. The adoption social workers have been working very hard to support families as they prepare for finalization and have ensured visitation is possible, even with remote-working protocols and social distancing. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and orders to stay home, there have been 13 adoptions finalized in Puerto Rico. We appreciate the collaborative work Puerto Rico is doing to secure permanency for waiting children!

(Back to Top)


Texas

Texas court goes above and beyond to make an adoption hearing extra special

Prado family Zoom adoption hearing

Prado family Zoom adoption hearing

Prado family celebrating Disney style!

Prado family celebrating Disney style!

The special adoptee

The COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t going to prevent a special adoption celebration for the Prado family. This memorable adoption consummation was held on April 30, 2020, in Laredo, TX, in the 406th District Court by the Honorable Judge Oscar J. Hale, Jr. The Prado family had previously adopted three other children and celebrated by taking a family trip to Walt Disney World. Due to COVID-19, they knew this would not be possible, so they opted for the next best thing and brought Disney’s Mickey Mouse to the adoption!  

The family asked all family members, the child protective services caseworker, their attorney, and Judge Hale to dress in Mickey Mouse-inspired clothing. During the virtual court hearing, over 20 family members and friends were wearing red- and black-colored clothing with Mickey Mouse ears or other Disney-themed accessories. The family also decorated their background with a balloon arch and Mickey Mouse ears, and the special little girl wore a red and black Minnie Mouse outfit. Judge Hale even wore a Mickey Mouse tie! After the consummation, Judge Hale requested all participants sing the Mickey Mouse Club theme song, and all gladly obliged. Judge Hale kept his Zoom line open for a few extra minutes after the adoption consummation to allow the family and guests to celebrate this joyous occasion using the virtual platform.


Texas courts and Court Improvement Program are All In for permanency and best practices in supporting families

We applaud the robust efforts in Texas courts and through the Court Improvement Program to facilitate meaningful training, promote best practices in family time, and leverage technology for the benefit of children and families!

 “Effective Advocacy in the Virtual CPS Courtroom ” webcast panel discussion

Webcast panel discussion

Spurred by the need to adapt in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court of Texas Children’s Commission hosted a webcast panel discussion for practitioners in child welfare cases called, “Effective Advocacy in the Virtual CPS Courtroom.” Moderated by District Court Judge Rob Hofmann, panelists Jana Clift-Williams, court-appointed attorney for parents; Dennis Arriaga, managing attorney, Department of Family and Protective Services; and Ann Marie Smith, court-appointed attorney for parents, shared tips on how to facilitate a client’s meaningful participation in a virtual hearing; how to properly elicit testimony on Zoom; how to properly enter evidence on Zoom; and how to review orders in a virtual setting.

“Benefits of Utilizing Technology in Child Welfare Cases" webcast

Pictured, top L–R: Hon. Thomas Stuckey, associate judge of the Centex Child Protection Court South; Hon. Angela Graves-Harrington, district judge of the 246th Family Court in Harris County; and Hon. Carlos Villalon Jr., associate judge for the Child Protection Court of the Rio Grande Valley West.

Bottom, L–R: Hon. Rob Hofmann, judge, of 452nd District Court, and jurist, Residence for the Children’s Commission; Hon. Delia Gonzales, associate judge, Child Protection and Permanency Court, Dallas County; and Hon. Melissa DeGerolami, associate judge, Child Protection Court of South Central Texas.

In June 2020, five Texas judges shared their experiences with virtual child welfare hearings and ways to advance permanency for children in care in the 1-hour webcast, “Benefits of Utilizing Technology in Child Welfare Cases.” “The greatest lesson that this pandemic has given our country is the realization that family separation, isolation, and loss are truly traumatic and emotionally challenging experiences. And yet somehow, we have found ways to keep connected with our own family by video or phone,” said Judge Carlos Villalon. “The child welfare world is no exception, and the notion that family time can only occur once a month, once a week, or even twice a week is no longer an acceptable standard when we are currently able to conduct virtual and phone visits to ‘supplement’ in-person visitation and keep parent and child connected. There is no going back.” 

Virtual adoption hearing in Lubbock, TX

Virtual Adoption Hearing

Child Protection Court Judge Kelly Tesch of Lubbock, TX, has conducted several adoption proceedings since working remotely. Judge Tesch noted, “The virtual adoption hearings have been so satisfying to be a part of during quarantine. Now that families are confined to their homes, the adoptions are different in a good way… everyone is relaxed, wearing their play clothes, and sitting in their own living room or at the kitchen table. The kids are more at ease and everyone is having a great time. It’s like being invited to a neighborhood cookout or family reunion. One family even held their Zoom adoption in the backyard, with red, white, and blue streamers and decorations. I really feel like I get a window into the kids’ new lives with their forever family.” 

Dallas Permanency Court Successfully Engages Families in Securing Permanency and Well-Being for Children

The Dallas Permanency Court is modeled after a similar court in Houston that specializes in finding permanency for children and youth in the long-term care of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Judge Gonzales, who presides over the Dallas Permanency Court, identifies barriers to permanency and brings an individualized approach to every child and family. Whether that is helping secure eyeglasses for a child with severe disabilities, speaking with relative caregivers about what it means to be licensed foster parents, exploring whether the circumstances of a parent whose rights have been terminated may have changed, or finding an adoptive home committed to sibling contact for a youth who has been separated from his or her young siblings, Judge Gonzales maintains urgency and thinks outside the box. At the heart of the Dallas Permanency Court is a commitment to youth and family engagement and finding permanency for every child. 

Permanency Success Stories From the Dallas Permanency Court

Hon. Delia Gonzales greeting a child adopted by her forever family

Hon. Delia Gonzales greeting a child adopted by her forever family 

For a child with severe disabilities, the Dallas Permanency Court worked diligently to sign a medical necessity order and get the child the eyeglasses she needed. After obtaining all of the approvals to receive 24-hour nursing care, this child was adopted by her forever family. 

Thank you card from a foster youth reunified with his mother
Description:
Card with written message from a foster youth reunified with his mother

Card text: Hope it’s paws-itively warm and cozy!

Written message: “Thank you for helping my mom get me back,
helping me by giving me a journal to write my thoughts
in which helped me a lot (underlined). Thank you.“

Thank you card from a foster youth reunified with his mother

In 2014, a termination of parental rights occurred when a young boy was just 8 years old. This case was referred to the Dallas Permanency Court in April 2019. The youth was living in a residential treatment center and had been in 14 previous placements during his time in the foster care system. Judge Delia Gonzales ordered the child welfare agency to reach out to the child’s biological mother to determine if her circumstances had changed. After the child welfare agency located the youth’s mother, and after multiple collaborative discussions, the youth and his mother were reunified in December 2019. At the final hearing, the youth thanked Judge Gonzales for helping him find the mother that he had been looking for, for years.

Family members celebrating permanency for five siblings

Family members celebrating permanency for five siblings

A sibling set of five children was recently placed permanently with family members. After Judge Gonzales discussed the Fostering Connections program with the family, they chose to participate. The family got licensed; the children received special education services, and the family received the necessary information to continue those services; and the family obtained custody of the children.

TThank you letter from an adopted youth to the Honorable Delia Gonzales
Description:
Letter from an adopted youth to the Honorable Delia Gonzales

Text: “Hey, Judge. (heart drawn)
Thank you very much.
I don’t know how to put my feelings on paper. So I’m sorry.
I’ve been struggling with foster care for more years than I can count.
Your presents mean the world to me. They give me the confidence (underlined) and strength (underlined).
Thank you for taking the time on our case. Actually believing in us. Actually caring.
Have a great day! (smiley face)”

Thank you letter from an adopted youth to the Honorable Delia Gonzales

The Dallas County Permanency Court heard the case of a sibling group of three who had been in care for 3 years, with termination of parental rights granted almost 2 years ago. The children were separated, and the oldest was in seven placements during her time in care. The oldest youth was referred to the juvenile justice system   and struggled with the overall trauma of being in care. She was placed in a foster home that had previously adopted teenage girls. As time progressed, her placement became more secure and her foster parents became willing to adopt her. The foster family committed to ensuring sibling contact after the adoption. The oldest youth was adopted recently, and she is doing very well. To express her gratitude, she wrote a letter to Judge Gonzales.  

(Back to Top)

Spotlight On

Improving the Adoption Court Process: A Guide for CIPs and Court Reformers
Capacity Building Center for Courts
Walks through adoption practices, process mapping to visualize and identify issues, and understanding and addressing both technical and adaptive challenges impacting adoption. This course was designed for court improvement program staff, judges, attorneys, or other child welfare legal professionals working on court improvement. This website requires a free login to access this resource.

Children's Bureau - An office of the Administration for Children and Families

Child Welfare Information Gateway is a service of the

  • Children’s Bureau
  • Administration for Children and Families
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
↑ Back to top
  • HOME
  • TOPICS
    • Family-Centered Practice
    • Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Responding to Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Supporting & Preserving Families
    • Out-of-Home Care
    • Achieving & Maintaining Permanency
    • Adoption
    • Management & Supervision
    • Systemwide
  • National Initiatives
    • National Adoption Month
    • National Child Abuse Prevention Month
    • National Foster Care Month
  • Publications
    • Publications Series
    • Browse by Title
    • Browse by Topic
    • Índice de Títulos en Español
  • Library
    • Search the Library
  • State Resources
    • State Statutes
    • National Foster Care & Adoption Directory
    • State Guides & Manuals
    • State Related Organizations Lists
    • Adoption Assistance by State
  • More Tools & Resources
    • Related Organizations
    • Learning Center
    • Children's Bureau Resources
    • Information Gateway Podcast
    • Multimedia
    • Family Engagement Inventory
  • NEWS AND EVENTS
    • New on Information Gateway
    • New From the Children's Bureau
    • Event Calendar
  • ABOUT US
    • How to Report Child Abuse or Neglect
    • Find Help With a Personal Situation
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Glossary
    • Search A to Z
  • Contact Us
    • 1-800-394-3366
    • info@childwelfare.gov
    • Subscribe to Free Updates
    • Chat With Us
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on YouTube
  • POLICIES & HELPFUL LINKS
    • Disclaimer and Policies
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility
    • FOIA requests
    • No FEAR Act data
    • Office of the Inspector General
    • Performance reports
    • Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
    • USA.gov
    • Download Acrobat Reader
  • ↑ Back to top