The quality hearings toolkit guides juvenile courts on ways to increase parental engagement in an effort to reunite them with children in abuse, neglect, and dependency cases.

The quality hearings toolkit guides juvenile courts on ways to increase parental engagement in an effort to reunite them with children in abuse, neglect, and dependency cases.

Ohio courts have a new aid to develop better engagement with parents and children in child abuse, neglect, and dependency cases for the purpose of reuniting more families.

The Ohio Supreme Court recently published a toolkit dedicated to quality hearings, which are judicial proceedings predicated on increased involvement and buy-in from parents separated from their children.

The process is based on the idea that greater interaction will lead to local courts gathering more of the necessary information in abuse, neglect, and dependency cases.

During its development of the toolkit, the Subcommittee on Responding to Child Abuse Neglect & Dependency to the Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee on Children & Families found that the more engaged the parents are in the process and in the hearings, the higher the rate of reunification and the timelier the achievement of permanency.

“The toolkit was developed to assist juvenile courts in enhancing the engagement of parties in these types of cases, and to ensure that the judicial officers are provided all the information they need to make the best decisions for the children in these matters,” said Fairfield County Juvenile Magistrate Michelle Edgar, who serves on the subcommittee.

Quality hearing components include the active presence and participation by key parties, engagement of parents and youth, a discussion of key topics, and oral findings being made on the record.

Within the toolkit is a judicial bench guide highlighting the points of emphasis throughout the hearing that examine the dynamics of each case, such as the family profile, the child’s educational status, parental employment, and details of the child’s placement.

As part of the process, the hearings provide children, parents, foster parents, caregivers, and kinship the opportunity to address their needs and concerns as well as making sure they understand the courses of action.

The toolkit is an accompaniment to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services’ (ODJFS) Court Report.

That document is generated through the ODJFS’ Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System, which contains specifics entered by local child welfare case workers regarding a child and family, their case plans, and steps the case worker takes to ensure reasonable efforts toward reunification are being made.

“The workgroup was very mindful that the courts are dealing with our children and families, who are experiencing difficulties and are in need of community services,” said Allen County Juvenile and Probate Judge Todd Kohlreiser.

“The courts want to ensure the safety and well-being of our children, and this guide is an effort to provide the appropriate safeguards for the family and child during a difficult transition.”