Suchergebnisse

This study examines outcomes related to a parent representation pilot program in Travis County, Texas. Participation in the pilot program was related to earlier attorney appointment, a higher percentage of attorney presence across the life of the case, and a higher percentage of permanent outcomes for children. Parents' percentage of presence at hearings across the life of the case was related to the child being returned home, dismissal of the juvenile dependency petition, and permanent management conservatorship. Early attorney appointment (i.e., less than 10 days from the initial hearing to full appointment) was related to permanent case outcomes.

This article examines how the amount of judicial personnel work hours available for each juvenile dependency case in a county may be related to the percentage of cases reaching key decision hearings in a timely manner. Panel analyses of data from Washington State indicate that, when controlling for community risk factors, counties with more judicial personnel per case held timely fact‐finding and permanency planning hearings more often and more often achieved timely adoptions. Judicial personnel per case, however, was not a significant predictor of the percentage of permanent placements completed within timeliness goals.Keypoints
Many states are not achieving the requirements of the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA), leading to children languishing in care
The juvenile dependency system needs to examine ways in which it can increase the timeliness of safe and permanent placements for children
Courts are being overburdened with an increase in juvenile dependency petition filings without a corresponding increase in judicial personnel
Courts should increase their number of judicial staff, so they can process cases faster and meet outcome goals more easily