Families in our Strong Starts Court Initiative, which supports young children and their families who are in New York City Family Court due to allegations of abuse or neglect, have fewer subsequent child welfare petitions than families not receiving enhanced support.
Other findings of our evaluation include that Strong Starts cases tend to last longer than traditionally processed cases; the additional time may be the result of efforts to reunite, or hold together, Strong Starts families. The program also improves professional practice among judges and attorneys and enhances family well-being across several areas, including strengthened relationships and increased knowledge about early childhood.
Recognizing the long-term harms of maltreatment in early childhood, Strong Starts supports families of children aged 0-3 through direct support, judge and attorney education, and promoting a more collaborative court process.