An expert on childhood trauma urged members of the Florida Children and Youth Cabinet on Thursday to promote a “baby court” model in which judges, lawyers and caseworkers put the needs of traumatized infants and toddlers before any other considerations.
“What happens to young children does not go away,” Graham said. “It’s the pipeline to (the Department of Juvenile Justice) and the Department of Corrections. It leads to mental-health problems and so many societal problems — and we have reams of research that shows this connection.”
Early childhood trauma can lead to physical and mental health problems, crime, addiction and academic woes, Graham said, but baby courts can alter that trajectory.
[For more of this story, written by Margie Menzel, go to http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2014/07/26/childhood-expert-pushes-state-create-baby-court/13212241/]
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