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Vol. 28, No. 1
April 2025
The Safe Babies Court Program: A Model for Collaborative, Family-Centered Child Welfare
The Safe Babies Court (SBC) program is transforming the way the child welfare system works with the court system to support families of infants and toddlers. By focusing on collaboration and promoting early, intentional intervention, the Safe Babies Court seeks to move towards permanency sooner and restore and strengthen family bonds. This article explores how Safe Babies Court is impacting New Hanover County and offers suggestions for counties that are not yet involved in this pilot program.
Background: The Foundation of the Safe Babies Court Program
Safe Babies Court launched in North Carolina in July 2023 as a pilot initiative under the Administrative Office of the Courts at the recommendation of the Chief Justice's Task Force on ACEs-Informed Courts. The program is modeled after the Zero to Three initiative, which operates in over 150 sites and across 30 states.
As Jessica Frisina, Foster Care Coordinator for NCDHHS DSS explains, the Safe Babies Court (SBC) was designed in response to the fact that infants and toddlers, whose early years are critical to brain development and attachment, face unique challenges when placed in foster care. The goal is to streamline court processes, provide trauma-informed interventions, and reach permanency decisions quickly for children ages 3 and under.
Currently, Safe Babies Court is operating in five counties (Brunswick, Durham, Mitchell, New Hanover, and Yancey), with expansions planned for McDowell and Rutherford. Pilot counties were selected based on court continuance rates and their desire to improve reunification efforts. In addition to these factors, New Hanover was chosen for its intensive reunification program, aligning effectively with SBC.
A Shift: Increased Collaboration and Communication
The Safe Babies Court (SBC) program aims to improve communication and collaboration between social workers, attorneys, judges, guardians ad litem, resource parents, community partners, and caregivers, and ensure that the focus is on the child's well-being and permanent placement.
New Hanover County Department of Social Services (DSS) currently has social workers from three units that handle SBC cases. Social work supervisor Dave Kuehner says his agency initially expected the program to require significant effort. However, he has observed that it is not the case because Safe Babies Court aligns existing efforts through a more collaborative approach.
Success, Kuehner says, hinges on frequent and consistent communication. "Reunification is the first goal. We all need to be on the same page, so we can reach permanency in a timely fashion."
Families involved with Safe Babies Court meet with the team at least twice a month, rather than long delays between court hearings. This includes one judicial status hearing per month and one Family Team Meeting per month. This allows social workers and other court personnel to stay aligned with the goals for the child and family. These meetings help ensure families are not caught off guard by unexpected delays or changes in their case plan. Frequent meetings also keep resource parents informed about birth parents' successes and challenges, which has strengthened shared parenting and built trust between families in New Hanover.
Instead of the typical courtroom setting, which can be intimidating, SBC provides a more relaxed environment. The judicial status hearings are often held in a circle without the formal presence of a judge's robe or gavel. Judge Corpening, Chief District Court Judge in New Hanover County, has been involved in SBC from the beginning of the program and has seen the benefits firsthand. He describes these meetings as parent-driven, with the judge guiding the conversation around what families need to achieve permanency.
"What else can we do to support you on your journey?" is often asked in these meetings. This question fosters a sense of partnership. Families are encouraged to take ownership of their situation, and the collaborative nature of the SBC process helps them feel heard and empowered.
Empowering Families: Increased Engagement and Connection
A standout feature of the SBC program is the monthly judicial status hearings with the judge and the monthly Family Team Meetings. Frisina emphasizes how increasing the frequency of court touchpoints can be incredibly helpful in ensuring that families stay on track with their case plans, or "life plans" as Judge Corpening calls them. For example, when a parent is ready for unsupervised visits with their child, assuming there is not a court order preventing it, these should be scheduled as soon as possible, rather than waiting for the next review. More frequent interactions between the court and families can help identify potential issues early and address them before they become obstacles to permanency.
Safe Babies Court strongly emphasizes maintaining and strengthening the bond between parents and children. Kuehner says that since implementing SBC, New Hanover has seen an increase in visitation and contact between children and their parents. Parents are supported from the very beginning by being connected to services and programs that assist them on their journey; thus, the collaborative nature of the program.
Celebrating Success
Judge Corpening offers a heartwarming example of the essence of the SBC program.
A mother who had been incarcerated and separated from her child was able to see her baby during a judicial status hearing. But she was worried her baby would not recognize her.
"I sat beside her," Judge Corpening says. "When the baby smiled at her, I said, 'He remembers.' We were both in tears."
Through ongoing support and planning, this parent was able to reunite with her child shortly after her release, transitioning directly into a rehabilitation program where she could live with her child.
To Corpening, success is empowering families to make lasting changes.
It's a parent being able to grasp, at an early stage, the significance of making a change and finding the strength to make that change. Parental decisions to participate in substance use recovery, deal with mental health challenges, set boundaries, and show up for themselves and their children are all celebrated as victories by New Hanover's SBC team.
To Kuehner, success is also collaboration between client attorneys, DSS attorneys, GALs, judges, child welfare workers, resource parents, community partners, and caregivers. Kuehner says that for everyone to be transparent and on the same page is a beautiful thing that is truly making a difference in children's lives. For example, SBC collaboration recently made it possible for a parent who had previously lost custody of their first child to regain custody of their second child. The team celebrated with a party and gifts, and will continue to support the family with care.
Suggestions for Counties Interested in SBC
Following the pilot, the goal is to eventually expand SBC to the entire state. Counties that are not yet involved in the program can, however, implement best practices based on the principles that have made SBC successful. One important step is fostering a collaborative environment across all stakeholders, including social workers, judges, attorneys, and community partners. "It can be difficult as a worker when you feel like you're working in silos," says Frisina. "The level of collaboration and problem-solving in the SBC program is great and exciting."
Kuehner and Judge Corpening offer additional best practices that can be applied. Kuehner stresses that counties need not feel overwhelmed by the idea of taking on the program. "It's not as cumbersome as it sounds," he explains. "It's a process, not a program." Kuehner also encourages social workers to see SBC as a way to create a more permanent, stable future for children. By working collaboratively from the outset, counties can reduce the need for termination of parental rights and ensure everyone is informed and focused on permanency goals.
Judge Corpening adds that one of the most important steps for any child welfare system and court system is adopting trauma-informed practices. "How we talk to people and treat people in court has a profound impact," he says. Shifting to a strength-based, trauma-informed approach, where professionals focus on what is working, can go a long way in creating a supportive and encouraging environment for families. Corpening uses a trauma-informed lens, starting with the premise that everyone has experienced trauma-including lawyers, DSS workers, community workers, and court personnel. He strives to use trauma-informed practices at "hello."
Lastly, both Kuehner and Judge Corpening emphasize the value of learning from counties with pilot experience in SBC. They encourage anyone who would like to learn more to reach out to other counties to understand how the program works. Recently, staff from Johnston County visited New Hanover County to observe the program in action.
Safe Babies Court is a promising shift in how the child welfare system approaches families with young children. As the program expands to more counties, its impact is expected to grow, and the hope is that other counties will embrace the core principles of the program.
For more information on Safe Babies Court, contact the Foster Care Coordinator for NCDHHS DSS Jessica Frisina, Social Worker Supervisor Dave Kuehner, or Polly Handrahan, State Safe Babies Court Director.