Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Children's Role In Termination Of Parental Rights Proceedings, Makayla Okamura, Michael Kummerman

Brigham Young University Prelaw Review

People often argue that young children - especially vulnerable children - cannot gauge their best interests very well. But it turns out that there is success when courts allow children to have a voice in matters of child welfare cases. Various cultures and ideologies see child accountability in different ways. Considering those cultures and values and then factoring in the experiences of judges reveals that child are more capable of determining there best interests than currently policy acknowledges. Though the decision should not rest solely on the child's input, it should be heavily weighted when a judge makes a child …