Systems Change to Achieve Permanency Mountains and Plains Child Welfare Implementation Center Arlington, Texas April 15, 2009

Definition of Permanency  “… Permanency is defined as a legal, permanent family living arrangement, that is, reunification with the birth family, living with relatives, guardianship, or adoption (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2005).”

Definition of Permanency Permanence is not a philosophical process, a plan, or a foster care placement, nor is it intended to be a family relationship that lasts only until the child/youth turns age 18. Permanence is about locating and supporting a lifetime family.

Definition of Permanency Planning for permanence should begin at: entry into care, be family-focused, culturally competent, continuous, and approached with the highest degree of urgency. Child welfare agencies, in partnership with the larger community, have a moral and professional responsibility to find a permanent family relationship for each child and young person in foster care.

Definition of Permanency Permanence is achieved with a family relationship that offers safe, stable, and committed parenting, unconditional love and lifelong support, and legal family membership status. Permanence can be the result of preservation of the family, reunification with birth family; or legal guardianship or adoption by kin, fictive kin, or other caring and committed adults (Youth Permanency Framework, NRCFCPPP)

PERMANENCY OUTCOME 1 Children have permanency and stability in their living situations Item 5: Foster care re-entries Item 6: Stability of foster care placement Item 7: Permanency goal for child Item 8: Reunification, guardianship, or permanent placement with relatives Item 9: Adoption Item 10: Other planned permanent living

PERMANENCY OUTCOME 2 The continuity of family relationships and connections is preserved for children. Item 11: Proximity of foster care Item 12: Placement with siblings Item 13: Visiting with parents and siblings in foster care Item 14: Preserving connections Item 15: Relative placement Item 16: Relationship of child in care with parents

WELL-BEING OUTCOME 1 Families have enhanced capacity to provide for their children’s needs. Item 17: Needs and services of child, parents, and foster parents Item 18: Child and family involvement in case planning Item 19: Caseworker visits with child Item 20: Caseworker visits with parents

Relationship of Well-Being to Permanency Positive ratings on Services to children, parents, foster parents Involvement of parents in case planning Caseworker visits with children Caseworker visits with parents Substantial achievement on Timely achievement of permanency (Outcome P1) Preserving children’s connections while in foster care (Outcome P2) supports...

Current Issues in Permanency Substance Abuse Mental Health Issues Domestic Violence On-Going Assessment Concurrent Planning Placement/Educational Stability Family Engagement Youth Engagement – APPLA Issues Supervision Visiting

What strategies address improvements in permanency planning? Concurrent planning Establish statewide or local permanency units Develop and implement new case plans Develop or strengthen policies and procedures Review processes for appropriateness and timeliness of permanency goals Family group decision-making Comprehensive child/youth and family assessments New training for staff on permanency planning

What strategies address permanency for youth in foster care? Expand services to youth Strengthen staff capacity Improve case planning/transitional plans Focus on transitioning Native youth

What strategies address permanency for youth in foster care? Collaborate with youth/other stakeholders Disseminate information on services Efforts to preserve youth connections, Primarily through relative searches and permanent placements Policy and procedural change

What strategies address the use of relatives as placement resources? Locate and identify relatives at the point of intake Ongoing identification and assessment of relative Implementation of practice models Implementation of processes, such as Family Centered Practice, Family Search and Engagement; Family Group Decision Making Assess and identify barriers to use of relatives as placement resources Strengthen supervisory and management oversight

What strategies address comprehensive needs assessments? Practice change strategies Revisions to tools Consistency in practice Improve engagement of family members and stakeholders Implement practice models and/or processes Training of staff

What strategies address comprehensive needs assessments? Revise policy and procedures/strengthen existing policies More frequent visits to children and families and designating a visit to be spent on assessment and developing service plans Oversight of practice through supervisors and managers

Placement Stability Strategies Build on promising practice from more successful counties Development of foster parent support groups Training on partnerships with foster parents, agency staff, service providers Targeted Foster Family recruitment and services for older children

Children’s Bureau Training and Technical Assistance Network National Resource Center for Recruitment and Retention of Foster and Adoptive Parents at AdoptUsKids (NRCRRFAP)

Concurrent Planning Curriculum: In English and Spanish permanencyplanning Visiting – Developing an On Line Curriculum with the Child Welfare Information Gateway Coming Soon Webcasts/Teleconferences/Podcasts Concurrent Planning: Strategies for Implementation Family Group Conferencing: Bringing the Family into Family- Centered Framework Weekly Update

Teleconference Topics Jan 22 Guardianship March 19 Foster Parents as Mentors to Birth Families May 21 Intersection of Child Welfare Juvenile Justice June 18 Family Finding July 23 CW Workforce – Retention Issues Sept 17 Family Centered Approach for Juvenile Justice Webcast Topics March 24 State/Tribal IV- E Agreements – Kathy Deserly April 10 Bridging the Gap – Birth/Foster Parent Relationships – Carolyn Fowler May 28 Kinship Issues – Dr. Joe Crumbley

Gerald P. Mallon, DSW Professor and Executive Director The National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice and Permanency Planning Hunter College School of Social Work A Service of the Children’s Bureau 129 East 79 th Street New York, New York (212)