Attending their court hearings benefit both the foster youth and the court. Youth develop a sense of control over the process when they actively participate. They also have the opportunity to understand the process by seeing the court proceeding firsthand. The court learns more about the children than simply what is presented in reports.

The child’s resource caregiver often plays a critical role in ensuring the child has a meaningful court experience. The resource caregiver must support the child’s involvement in preparation for the court hearing, during the court hearing, and debriefing with the youth after the court hearing.  Click here to learn how you can support  Youth in Court.