Children and Youth Exposed to Violence

Judicial officers making custody decisions, whether in the family court, juvenile court, or child abuse and neglect proceedings, have the unique opportunity to identify the effects of family violence and to make orders that protect the physical and emotional well-being of victimized parents and their children. For decades, the FVDR has provided leadership to courts and their community stakeholders in building effective collaborations, with particular interest in supporting court responses and systems of care which improve the safety and resiliency of children and youth exposed to violence.

This work includes the 1999 publication of Effective Interventions in Domestic Violence and Child maltreatment Cases: Guidelines for Policy and Practice, two decades of leadership of the Resource Center on Domestic Violence: Child Custody and Maltreatment, and more recently, coordination of the Linking Systems of Care for Children and Youth project.

Find key publications and tools for judges, courts, and community stakeholders below.

Linking Systems of Care

The NCJFCJ worked from 2015-2021, in collaboration with national experts and federal partners, to provide training and resources to strengthen state-level coordination of approaches that identify, assess, and serve child and youth victims of violence. Linking Systems of Care (LSC) for Children and Youth demonstration projects were designed to be: 1) trauma-responsive, incorporating evidence-based practices; 2) multi-disciplinary in their leadership, comprehensive in their delivery, and inclusive of social systems and community resources; and 3) innovative in their design and ultimate implementation of a strategic plan that improves outcomes for youth and families.

More about LSOC

Resource Center on Domestic Violence: Child Protection and Custody

In 1999, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) published Effective Intervention in Domestic Violence and Child Maltreatment Cases: Guidelines for Policy and Practice. This publication helps child welfare, domestic violence service providers and family courts work together more effectively to serve families experiencing violence. Since the publication’s release, dozens of communities around the country have used it to improve their policies and practices and developed enhanced coordination among courts and social service agencies to better serve families in need. In 1999, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) published Effective Intervention in Domestic Violence and Child Maltreatment Cases: Guidelines for Policy and Practice. This publication helps child welfare, domestic violence service providers and family courts work together more effectively to serve families experiencing violence. Since the publication’s release, dozens of communities around the country have used it to improve their policies and practices and developed enhanced coordination among courts and social service agencies to better serve families in need.

Visit the Resource Center on Domestic Violence: Child Protection and Custody

Related Resources

Publication

Effective Intervention in Domestic Violence and Child Maltreatment Cases: Guidelines for Policy and Practice

03/15/12

Webinar

Considerations for Cases Involving Self-Represented Litigants Experiencing Domestic Violence

06/08/21