Forging Family Connections Strengthening Adoptions

This workshop will provide an overview of the Family Finding process and will focus on principles that assist in moving children toward permanency in safe and supportive adoptive placements.

Objectives Youth and Family Alternatives (YFA) strives to support positive family connections before and after adoption finalization. YFA works with children and adoptive caregivers to develop support systems that will ensure successful adoptive outcomes. YFA strives to place siblings together for adoption whenever safe and achievable.

Objectives continued… We emphasize and support ongoing sibling visitation even when siblings are not placed together. We utilize recruitment strategies that promote positive biological family contact.

What is Family Finding? National program that locates relatives of children in foster care and non-relative care that encourages development of emotional support systems or permanent homes for these children. Developed by Kevin Campbell, internationally known youth permanency expert and founder of the Center for Family Finding and Youth Connectedness.

Overview continued… Mr. Campbell developed Family Finding, a set of strategies that are geared toward developing lifelong supports and connections for children in foster care. In 2008, when Family Finding was introduced in Florida’s 5 th Judicial Circuit, Kevin Campbell was hired as a consultant to assist with implementation and training of case management staff. Also in 2008, President Bush signed into law the Fostering Connection to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act, which placed a further emphasis on increasing family connections for children in foster care.

Fostering Connection to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act Promotes permanency through adoption and relative guardianship Ensures proper notice provided to relatives when children placed in foster care Supports programs designed to connect youth to relatives Stresses the importance of keeping siblings together Initiated family connection grant process to support family finding related activities Kids Central Inc., one of 24 organizations in the United States awarded a three year grant in September 2009 to implement activities geared toward promoting family connections for children involved with or at risk of entering the child welfare system.

Family Finding Principles Family Finding’s approach to connecting and reconnecting youth with their families includes an extensive search and discovery process to identify and engage family members. Internet-based search tools are used to identify and locate family members we may not know. Strong efforts are made to connect/reconnect youth with family members or relative resources who live as close as next door or across the country.

Benefits of initiating the Family Finding process early on in a case Assists with emotional improvement Results in decreased loneliness Promotes a greater sense of belonging Promotes improved family connections Helps generate lifelong connections Results in more successful placements Possible emotional investment of family members Leads to improved support systems

What could occur when Family Finding is not timely initiated? Weaker emotional support systems Less stable placements Poor self esteem Loss of contact with biological family Lesser sense of belonging Possible identity issues

How can Family Finding help children during the adoption process? Leads to improved support systems for children and adoptive families Results in more relative adoptions Possible increased investment in ensuring a successful adoption Promotes positive lifelong biological connections Helps maintain and strengthen sibling relationships

Recruitment Strategies Family Centered Focused on the needs of the child, not the needs of the adoptive applicants Emphasis placed on recruiting adoptive families that are supportive of positive biological family connections before and after adoption finalization. Geared toward promoting and strengthening sibling connections.

Siblings Adopted Separately Siblings who are separated in care and placed or adopted separately often reveal how important birth connections are. They value chances to visit and talk with birth siblings. While separated siblings may wonder and speculate about why they couldn’t be placed together, they rarely voice concerns for fear of upsetting their adoptive parents or losing the chance to maintain birth family ties.

Siblings Adopted Together Siblings who are adopted together usually talk about how great it is to have one another. They may be the only recorders of specific chapters in their history. They rely on each other and depend on each for emotional support.

Adoption Trends Nationally, children have historically been adopted by their foster parents, with other types of adoptions lagging far behind. Due to family finding efforts and a family centered approach toward recruitment, this trend has been reversed in Circuit 5.

Adoption Trends As a result of Family Finding efforts, we have seen a stark decline in the number of foster care adoptions in Circuit 5, not because foster parents are unwilling to adopt, but because biological family members are being engaged early on in our cases to provide support to our children, and many have ended up adopting these children.

Adoptions by Type

Adoptions by Type Comparison National Average The AFCARS Report June 2011 Circuit 5 Adoptions July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011 Non Relative15% Foster Parent53%23% Other Relative32%62%

Average Length of Stay Circuit 5 Adoptions

Family Finders in Action

Family Finding in Action Chris (17) and Kayla (15) Removed from biological mother in 2001 for allegations of substance abuse. Their older ½ sibling was placed with her biological father and the children lost contact. Biological mother’s rights were terminated in Both children were adopted together in October 2010 in Georgia.

Family Finding in Action After finalization, the family moved to Florida. Children were removed from their adoptive parents in July 2011 for allegations of physical and sexual abuse. Adoptive parents’ rights were terminated in November Children were separated in foster care and stated they did not want to be adopted again.

Family Finding in Action On March 10, 2012 Chris was taken out of state to be reunited with his biological family. He also met with his previous foster parents (prior to his adoption). He attended church with the foster family and reunited with his church family.

Outcome of the Family Meeting The children reunited with 25 family members and 25 church members as well as previous foster parents. There are 8 families interested in providing a home for both children were they can maintain relationships with family and friends. 5 relatives to the children and 3 non relatives are interested in providing permanency for the children. Another visit is already planned and ICPC home studies have been requested.

Family Finding in Action Angelica (16), Kurtis (14), Alexis (7). Removed from biological mother originally in February 2005, reunified in June 2006, then removed again in September failed relative placements. Children were separated and placed in foster care. Parental rights were terminated in July 2009.

Family Finding in Action Youngest child was adopted first by her foster parents. The older children did not want to be adopted and felt loyal to the biological family. Biological mother and grandmother made a video message for the children. Angelica and Kurtis were shown their video messages separately with the help of their case manager, foster parents, and therapists.

Outcome of Family Finding Activities After seeing the video, Angelica decided she did want to be adopted. She was matched with a family, adopted, and continues to do very well. Kurtis also decided he wanted to be adopted. He is in the process of being adopted by his foster parents.

Family Finding In Action Devon (16) removed from biological mother as an infant and placed in foster care. Adopted as a toddler by foster mother. Arrested at age 14 and placed in DJJ. Adoptive Mother refused to pick him up when he was released. He was sheltered August 2010 and placed in foster care.

Family Finding in Action Adoptive mother signed surrenders and her rights were terminated November Family Finding activities were initiated for Devon. A Family Finding Chronicle was completed with Devon.

Family Finding for Devon Biological family was located. Devon’s Biological mother, maternal aunt and uncle, and adult sister were located. Devon was reunited with his biological family and spent the Christmas break with them. He was unable to be placed with his biological mother or sister. His aunt and uncle were seeking placement for him, however they had difficulty with their homestudy.

Family Finding Outcomes for Devon Devon has decided that his biological family would not be the best placement for him. He does remain in contact with them. When he has a bad day he does turn to them for support.

Conclusion Family Finding does not stop at TPR. Family Finding is shifting the adoption trends from foster parent adoption to relative adoption. Identifying family support systems for adoptive parents and children helps children reach permanency faster. Studies have shown that adoption by families not previously know to the child increase the risk of adoption disruption.

Questions

Contact Information Richard Manuel, Operations Specialist Youth and Family Alternatives, Inc. (352) Keri Seroski, Quality Improvement Coordinator Youth and Family Alternatives, Inc. (352)