Engaging parents during the COVID-19 pandemic: Transitioning to a virtual world for infant-toddler court teams

Summary The COVID-19 pandemic required a shift in how programs delivered necessary services to clients. Infant-Toddler Court Teams (ITCT) in multiple states had to transition their services from face-to-face to virtual platforms. Implementation of a new ITCT during the first year of COVID-19 was also launched via a virtual platform. This article details process evaluation interviews for these ITCTs and describes the many advantages and disadvantages of moving to a virtual environment. Findings Advantages include reaching broader audiences, less travel, and fewer time commitments; disadvantages include lack of genuine engagement, “zoom fatigue,” and lack of parental understanding of the severity of their situation. Application This study uses in-depth analysis of qualitative data to discuss how the transition to a virtual environment impacted ITCTs and their implementation, the innovations programs developed to engage with parents and what tools they will continue to use after the pandemic.