9/9/15 Department of Children and Families Child Protection Summit Breakout Session: Improving Outcomes for Infants and Toddlers through Early Childhood Court Teams

One challenged community implemented a successful Early Childhood Court (ECC) team model with no new funding or added resources. This Florida initiative is modeled after of the national ZERO TO THREE Safe Babies Court Teams project, which was created as a result of the understanding that abuse and neglect has been linked with serious developmental consequences for infants and toddlers including, but not limited to, disorganized attachments and developmental delays. Thankfully, developmental neuroscience demonstrates that developmentally appropriate early intervention can help infants and toddlers overcome the negative developmental consequences that stem from maltreatment. A distinguished group of panelists from Escambia County’s ECC team will help you understand the foundation and benefits of an ECC team model for your system of care. The presentation will provide an overview of the model, the role of the Infant Mental Health Specialist, Child Parent Psychotherapy, along with the other core components that make up Florida’s ECC team model. The presentation will also include tips on how to recruit, organize and gain commitments from community stakeholders and key players that make the process work.