Progress on Court Reforms
Implementation of Recommendations from Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care

Today, more than 510,000 children are in foster care.ⁱ Although many children removed from their homes because of suspected abuse or neglect will return safely after only a few months away from their families, tens of thousands will remain in limbo in the foster care system for years. Some of these children will never be placed in a safe, permanent family through adoption or guardianship; instead, they will exit foster care by “aging out” when they reach the age at which they become ineligible for support (generally age 18) without the safety net or support of a family.

No child enters or leaves foster care except by approval of the court. Courts across the country play a crucial role in determining the path that a child who has been abused or neglected will take - whether it is returning home, joining a new family through adoption, being placed with relatives, or remaining in foster care until they “age out.” Yet, despite this vitally important role, the Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care found that “dependency courts are often undervalued entities within the judicial system. The public is largely unaware of the depth of the court’s responsibility in cases of abuse and neglect and has little information on its effectiveness in protecting children and promoting their well being. Within the larger state court system, dependency courts compete for resources with higher-profile criminal and civil courts.” ⁱⁱ

Until 2006, dependency courts were subject to only limited formal accountability for ensuring that children in foster care moved through the child welfare system and into safe, permanent families as quickly as possible. Judges, each often charged with overseeing up to a thousand cases per year, lacked the resources to maintain current information on the progress made on behalf of the children and families on their dockets. In many instances, judges faced large caseloads, a lack of data tracking systems, and time constraints. Dependency court leaders agreed that improvements were needed in several key areas: greater court accountability, stronger collaboration between the courts and child serving agencies and organizations, adequate legal representation of the children and families who came before them, and judicial leadership to improve court performance.

Over the past several years, courts have made significant improvements in addressing the needs of children and families served by the child welfare system. From improved case tracking and enhanced management information systems to designating judicially-led commissions to identify and address issues affecting children and families, courts have made substantial progress in improving outcomes for vulnerable children and families. The Kids Are Waiting campaign applauds state courts -- including judges, legal professionals and court personnel -- for these efforts and encourages them to continue the significant work that they have undertaken to achieve the best outcomes for children and families in their jurisdictions.