The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) has announced the release of its publication Enhanced Resource Guidelines: Improving Court Practice in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases.

NCJFCJ’s original publication, Resource Guidelines, was published in 1995. Since then, a significant number of legislative changes have impacted the manner in which dependency court cases are handled. The suggested “best court practices” of the Resource Guidelines were implemented in more than 80 NCJFCJ Model Court sites throughout the country. Those courts evolved and became more effective in achieving timely safety, permanency and well-being. The Enhanced Resource Guidelines incorporates recommendations resulting from 20 years of changes in the law, research and in court practice.

The Enhanced Resource Guidelines include a judicial bench card for each hearing. The publication is considered an effective tool for training.

"The Enhanced Resource Guidelines will serve as the NCJFCJ’s blueprint for training on child abuse and neglect practices. This valuable teaching tool will help judges, attorneys, child welfare workers, court appointed special advocate volunteers and others in achieving timely safety, permanency and well-being for children and will be monumental in shaping the way courts handle cases to best serve these children and families involved in the court system,” said Judge Darlene Byrne, NCJFCJ president.

If an article published in The Judges' Page is reproduced, credit shall be given to the author(s) of the article, the National CASA Association and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.