Court oversight of child welfare in the District stems from the 1989 LaShawn A. v. Barry lawsuit, which resulted in a consent decree and continuing court oversight under LaShawn A. v. Fenty today. In February 2007, US District Court approved an Amended Implementation Plan, which remains as the operative order defining standards and outcomes the District child welfare system must achieve. While continuing to strengthen the local safety net for abused and neglected children and youth, the District is seeking to exit from court oversight of child welfare.