New Jersey Safe Babies Court Team

In recognition of excellent service to children, we were awarded a grant to pilot the Safe Babies Court Team (SBCT) in Passaic, Essex, and Hudson counties in 2020, a now permanent expansion of our programs to reach even more vulnerable children. 

Ensuring that every child can reach their full potential means safeguarding well-being in the first three years of life. If trauma is experienced at such a young age, the consequences can be catastrophic – because during this rapid period of brain development, children learn skills that support social interaction, problem-solving, and emotional regulation. If this is disrupted by distress, it becomes difficult for them to form healthy relationships long into the future.

The SBCT was launched to improve outcomes for infants and toddlers impacted by or at risk of abuse and neglect. We use trauma-informed practices to help these young children heal and recover, all while engaging families in decision-making and providing them with the resources they need to create a safe, nurturing home. Central to this work are monthly Collaborative Family Team Meetings that unite birth families, resource families, service providers, social workers, court professionals, and other stakeholders to build a supportive community around young children and their families. 

Growing Needs 

By 2028, we will expand the SBCT to at least two additional counties, ensuring more children have access to these essential resources. A critical component of the SBCT success is not only implementing change for the individual infant and family but also effectively creating systemic change which will improve the outcomes of children far beyond the direct service scope of this initiative. The goals of this program include increasing access to high quality mental health services for young children and their caretakers, improving early childhood and developmental knowledge among child welfare decision makers such as Judges and caseworkers, and creating partnerships with community-based support systems who can assist parents during the most critical years of a child’s life – from birth to age three.