House Bill 1733 and Senate Bill 1372 (Chapters 138 and 155 of the Virginia Acts of Assembly – 2025 Session, respectively) directed the Office of the Children's Ombudsman to convene a work group to determine the factors a court should consider for good cause shown to grant a petitioner's petition for relief of care and custody of a child.

The legislation was introduced as a result of recommendations adopted by the Commission on Youth following its 2024 study, The Use and Impact of Relief of Custody on Care and Support of Youth.

The Office of the Children’s Ombudsman convened the work group, the members of which are listed on Appendix A. Virtual meetings were held on June 5, 2025, August 14, 2025, and October 14, 2025. In accordance with the legislation and the Commission on Youth’s Study Plan, the work group discussed (i) factors a court should consider for good cause shown to grant a petition for the relief of care and custody of a child; and (ii) the benefits and considerations of raising the standard of evidence for granting temporary relief of custody. The work group also identified a potential need for legislation amending statutory provisions related to petitions for the relief of care and custody of a child.

At its October meeting, the workgroup received an update from the Office of the Executive Secretary for the Supreme Court of Virginia that recent court data indicates an 11% decrease in the number of relief of custody petitions filed statewide since October 2024, and a 14% decrease in dispositions, with several localities showing an increase in dispositions.