Consultation to the court in infant/toddler custody cases

This paper describes a special component of an infant mental health program wherein infants are referred by the Department of Social Services for assessment and treatment. The infants in these cases are frequently in foster care and under court supervision for abuse and neglect. This paper describes the special role of the infant mental health specialist in establishing a working alliance with the family and in providing consultation to the Department of Social Services and the court. Note is made of the role of the infant mental health specialist within the legal system.