The Duke Endowment | Safe Babies Court
Safe Babies Court: Stories of Healing, Hope, and Transformation
Human Impact Storytelling
The Story
Inside a courtroom in Brunswick County, North Carolina, a different kind of story was unfolding.
For many families involved in the child welfare system, the courtroom can represent uncertainty, fear, and separation. But through Safe Babies Court, a different approach was taking shape, one built around relationships, trust, and a community committed to helping families heal.
The Duke Endowment wanted to share the impact of this work by moving beyond the systems, statistics, and processes. The opportunity was to reveal the people at the center of the story: the families, advocates, community partners, and leaders working together to create meaningful change.
Because behind every program is a person. And behind every outcome is a story.
The Challenge
Helping People Understand the Human Side of a Complex System
Child welfare is complicated. The work involves courts, agencies, policies, providers, and families navigating some of life’s most difficult circumstances.
The challenge was not simply explaining how Safe Babies Court works. The challenge was helping people understand why it matters.
How do you tell a story about a system without losing sight of the people inside it?
The Approach
Listening Comes First
The most important part of documentary storytelling happens before the camera begins recording.
Our approach started with listening: understanding the mission of Safe Babies Court, learning from the people closest to the work, and identifying the voices that could help others experience its impact.
Through authentic conversations and documentary interviews, we captured stories from judges, caregivers, advocates, and community partners who showed what happens when a community surrounds families with support.
The goal was not just to document a program.
The goal was to tell a story of possibility.
The Final Story
The completed documentary highlighted the relationships, moments, and experiences that demonstrate the power of Safe Babies Court.
Through cinematic storytelling, personal interviews, and intentional narrative development, the film invited audiences to see beyond a system and connect with the people working toward hope and healing.
Services Provided
Documentary Film Production
Story Strategy
Interview Production
Field Production
Narrative Editing
Post Production
The Impact
Stories Create Understanding
When people understand the story behind the work, they are more likely to connect with the mission.
This project helped bring visibility to an innovative approach supporting children and families, creating a resource that could educate, inspire, and invite others into the conversation.
At Rettew Creative, we believe stories do more than communicate information.
Stories help people see.
More Information:
The Duke Endowment
Carolinas Expand Safe Babies Court Model
https://www.dukeendowment.org/news/safe-babies-court
Overview of The Duke Endowment’s investment in expanding the Safe Babies Court model across North Carolina and South Carolina. The article highlights how courts, child welfare agencies, and community partners are working together to improve outcomes for infants, toddlers, and families by creating a more collaborative, trauma-informed approach to the child welfare system.
North Carolina Judicial Branch
Safe Babies Court Program Overview - North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts
https://www.nccourts.gov/programs/safe-babies-court
Overview of North Carolina’s Safe Babies Court model, including its mission, pilot program, judicial status conferences, family team meetings, trauma-informed approach, and goals around permanency, child well-being, and reducing maltreatment.
Chief Justice’s Task Force on ACEs-Informed Courts
North Carolina Judicial Branch
https://www.nccourts.gov/commissions/chief-justices-task-force-on-aces-informed-courts
Recommendations that helped guide the implementation of Safe Babies Court in North Carolina as a three-year pilot program.
South Carolina Infant Mental Health Association (SCIMHA)
Safe Babies Court
https://scimha.org/for-families/safe-babies-court/
Background on the Safe Babies Court Team™ approach, including judicial leadership, community partnerships, family support teams, and the focus on developmental needs of infants and toddlers.
South Carolina Infant Mental Health Association (SCIMHA)
How Safe Babies Court Works
https://scimha.org/services/safe-babies-court/how-it-works/
Details on core components of the model, including judicial and child welfare leadership, community coordinators, frequent family team meetings, parent relationships, family time, and continuous improvement.
