Early childhood court in Florida: Qualitative results of a statewide evaluation. (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mackie, Joanna Farrer; Foti, Tara R.; Agu, Ngozichukwuka; Langenderfer-Magruder, Lisa; Marshall, Jennifer
• Is Part Of: Child abuse & neglect. Volume 104(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: Child maltreatment -- Criminal justice -- Program evaluation; Child abuse -- Periodicals; 362.76
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104476
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0145-2134

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Child maltreatment, removal from the home and foster care placement are all associated with poor physical and developmental outcomes for children. Early Childhood Court (ECC) is a specialized, trauma-informed, team-based approach designed to meet the unique needs of young children and their families in the dependency court system. Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the ECC program in 20 Florida circuits. Participants and setting: Participants in the evaluation were 53 ECC professionals (e.g., judges, attorneys, mental health providers, caseworkers, etc.) and 9 parents and caregivers. Focus groups were conducted in person, and interviews were conducted either in person or on the phone. Methods: Interviews and focus groups were transcribed verbatim and analyzed with a hybrid deductive/inductive process using MAX QDA. Two coders (trained doctoral student researchers) established inter-coder reliability with a Kappa greater than 0.80 and used an iterative process to discuss, refine, and describe each theme throughout the analysis. Results: Participants described who is involved in ECC and most discussions focused on professional versus parent/caregiver team members. Participants also described how ECC is different from traditional dependency court and several themes, such as Child and Family Friendly, Judicial Leadership, and a Team-Based Approach, aligned with the national model. Emergent themes were Relationships and Success . Conclusions: Future research could explore the selection of parents into ECC.