For Judges Handling Child Protective Services Cases
April 5, 2019
Texas Youth Permanency Study
A recent Children’s Commission communique shared information on engaging children and youth in court. A new tip sheet provides an additional resource for judges and attorneys. The Texas Youth Permanency Study (TYPS) is an ongoing research project that seeks to address gaps in our understanding of outcomes for older youth in foster care with a focus on comparing the outcomes of youth who have aged out of care to those who are adopted or reunified. Based on their study findings, the TYPS research team created several tip sheets for professionals with key roles in a child protection case, including judges. The judicial tip sheet includes information about how judges can engage youth successfully in the courtroom and provide information that will help reassure youth as they navigate foster care outside the courtroom.
Understanding that it can be a challenge to ensure that all youth participate in person during their permanency review hearings, the Children’s Commission in partnership with the Office of Court Administration offers videoconferencing as a way to facilitate a youth’s appearance and participation in court, as well as meetings between youth and their attorney, or connecting a youth with their CASA volunteer. Please link to this web page about video conferencing for more information about how to use the system.
For a complete list of Jurist in Residence Letters, please visit the Children's Commission website. Information provided by the Children’s Commission should not be read as a commentary by the Supreme Court of Texas or any other court. For more information about the Children’s Commission, please visit our website.
