Focusing on reducing trauma and improving how courts, child welfare, and child-serving organizations work together to support young children in, or at-risk of entering, the child welfare system.
In Washington State, young children are over represented in the child welfare systems and face unique vulnerabilities that require specialized, trauma-informed approaches to protect their development and strengthen families.
Early Childhood Courts (ECC) are specialized therapeutic court programs in Washington State designed to assist families with young children, ages 0-5, who are navigating the child welfare court system. Utilizing the Safe Babies™ approach, these courts focus on reducing trauma and improving how courts, child welfare, and child-serving organizations work together to support families with young children in, or at-risk of entering, the child welfare system.
When compared to non-ECC Dependency cases, ECC permanency outcomes show higher rates of reunification and guardianship, and lower rates of adoption – meaning children involved in ECCs are more likely to reunify with their parents or stay connected to their family.
ECCs currently operate in Clark, Kitsap, Pierce, Spokane, and Thurston counties, with emerging sites in Lummi Nation’s Child Welfare program and Makah Tribal Court.
we’re changing the way young people experience the child welfare and juvenile justice systems—for the better.
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