The goal of Juvenile Court is to balance the best interests of the child with the claim of parental rights. Parents have a right to direct the upbringing of their children, including the right to exclude others from that function. They also have procedural rights to contest custody, visitation, and adoption. But the assertion of any of these rights may conflict with the child's best interests.

In 2-3 paragraphs, using your own words respond to the following:

• Define the best interest of the child standard.

• What are the legal categories considered by the course for abuse and neglect?

• List three factors or standards the court may use to determine what is in the best interest of a child.

• Which factors are more difficult than others for the course to determine?

• When responding to peers, consider the factors they provided. Which of these factors are the most important to consider? Do you agree that those are difficult factors to identify?