Infant and Toddler Court Team Fort Bend County

Infant and Toddler Court Team Fort Bend County 2005 - 2011

Portrait of Infants and Toddlers in Texas • In FY 10, there were 66, 897 confirmed cases of child abuse and neglect. 26, 074 cases (39%) were children three years and younger. • In Fort Bend County, there were 568 confirmed cases of child abuse and neglect. • Source: Texas Department of Family and Protective Services 2010 Data Book

Average Monthly Number of Children in Care in Texas by Age of Child (2010) Goals 9030 13% 7808 12% 26704 40% Birth to 3 4 to 6 7 to 9 10 to 12 13 to 17 10328 15% 13419 20%

What we Know about Infants and Toddlers • High risk for poor developmental outcomes • Developing brain can compensate • Early intervention increases odds for favorable outcomes • Human relationships are the building blocks of development • The course of development can be altered in early childhood by effective interventions that change the balance between risk and protection • From Neurons to Neighborhoods, 2000

Numbers Court Teams Strategy Judicial Leadership + Community Partners = Enhanced and coordinated services

Goals Court Teams Ø Reduce recurrence of maltreatment Ø Improve outcomes for maltreated infants and toddlers Ø Change local systems

Court Teams Partners CASA County Attorney Child Protective Services Court Appointed Attorneys Council on Drug & Alcohol Early Childhood Intervention • Mental Health Providers • • • Community foundation Early Head Start Parenting education Women's Center Private foster care agencies Private child serving agencies • County representatives • • •

CASA

Court Teams Accomplishments • Increased Oversight – court hearings every 30 days • Reductions in out-of-home placements • Increase in parent-child visits • Increase in relative/ kinship placements • Increased knowledge among stakeholders • Focus on front loading of services

CPS