Best Practice Courts Program

The Best Practice Court initiative began in 2002. This program builds on the efforts of many Virginia Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts to follow the Resource Guidelines: Improving Court Practice in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases published by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges in 1995. Participating courts commit to a series of local activities and receive specialized training and technical support from Virginia’s Court Improvement Program and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges’ Permanency Planning for Children Department. Today, there are approximately 39 active Best Practice Courts with teams existing in 77% of Virginia’s Judicial Districts. The localities involved are responsible for approximately 60% of the foster care population.