I. Any court, agency or individual with legal responsibility for the care of a child with an open child abuse/neglect case has a right to information about services provided to the child and family, the progress made as a result of those services, and the prognosis for their achieving successful functioning.

 

II. Juvenile court hearings in child abuse/neglect cases should be presumptively open, with judicial discretion to close based on the best interests of the child and/or at the request of the child’s lawyer/representative. Nineteen (19) states now permit such “open courts.” The media shall follow professional standards of ethics to ensure the privacy of juveniles and their families involved in these proceedings, including the withholding of identifying information.