Best for Babies is a statewide initiative to improve outcomes for infants and toddlers in
the Juvenile Court system. Developed in 2004 by Sally Campbell and Prevent Child Abuse Arizona founder Becky Ruffner, Best for Babies was the first organization in Arizona to implement the Safe Babies Court Team approach.
Click on the links below to download Best for Babies resources.
ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) in Arizona Report (270 KB)
Arizona Baby Statistics (210 KB)
Baby Checklist For CFTs (Child and Family Teams) (136 KB)
Balancing ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) with Hope (4.4 MB)
Best for Babies Court Teams Core Components (146 KB)
Best for Babies Essential Services Checklist (164 KB)
Birth Parents with Trauma Histories and the Child Welfare System (328 KB)
Building Bridges for Babies in Foster Care (152 KB)
Call to Action on Behalf of Maltreated Infants and Toddlers (446 KB)
Child Neglect Guide for Prevention, Assessment, Intervention (2.2 MB)
Cradle to Crayons Study by ASU’s Center for Child Well-Being (400 KB)
Eight Things to Remember About Child Development (401 KB)
Ensuring Assessments and Services for All Maltreated Infants and Toddlers (158 KB)
Ensuring Healthy Development of Infants in Foster Care (6.7 MB)
Essential Advocates: Using CASAs to Promote Child Well-Being (2.9 MB)
Improving Child Welfare Outcomes: Balancing Investments in Prevention and Treatment (1.9 MB)
Kinship Foster Care Resource Guide (1.5 MB)
Mandated Reporter Law in Arizona (155 KB)
Milestone Moments: Child Development Checklist (1.1 MB)
Positive Parenting Builds Healthy Brains (6.46 MB)
Supporting Social-Emotional Development of Babies in Foster Care (346 KB)
The Truth About ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) (485 KB)
Parenting a Child Who Has Experienced Trauma (496 KB)
Using a Developmental Approach in Child Welfare Practice (3.2 MB)
Resources for Judges, Attorneys, Court Personnel, CASAs:
Attachment 101 for Attorneys: Implications for Infant Placement Decisions (2.1 MB)
Best for Babies Essential Services Checklist (164 KB)
Healthy Beginnings, Healthy Futures: A Judge’s Guide (2.71 MB)
Judges Using Brain Science to Help Babies Caught in Court System (844 KB)
Questions Every Judge and Lawyer Should Ask About Infants and Toddlers in the Child Welfare System (Updated 2017) (5.2 MB)
Questions Every Judge and Lawyer Should Ask About Infants and Toddlers – Bench Card (876 KB)
Practice and Policy Briefs:
Advocating for Very Young Children in Dependency Proceedings (2.2 MB)
Healing the Youngest Children – Model Court-Community Partnerships (1.7 MB)
Psychotropic Medication and Children in Foster Care: Tips for Advocates and Judges (1 MB)
Visitation With Infants and Toddlers in Foster Care (624 KB)
Videos:
Building Adult Capabilities to Improve Child Outcomes: A Theory of Change
Child and Family Law Courts Meet Brain Science
Serve and Return: Key Concepts
Toxic Stress Derails Healthy Development
Additional Resources:
ACCCHS Services For Foster or Adopted Children (588 K)
ACCCHS Services For Foster or Adopted Children Spanish (588 K)