Evaluating maltreated infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in dependency court

Abstract Work in the child welfare system is rarely informed by research, particularly in the court system. Resources are limited, despite the fact that it is in juvenile dependency courts that the most serious cases of maltreatment are heard and decisions made about the safety and treatment of maltreated children. Although a disproportionate number of dependent or foster children are infants and toddlers, courts rarely have access to specialized expertise in understanding the needs of young children. In this article, a court‐based evaluation program called PREVENT (Prevention and Evaluation of Early Neglect and Trauma) is presented. The PREVENT protocol is described and the intervention implications for the program are discussed. ©2002 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.