A Framework and Measures for Youth Permanency Adopt Us Kids Summit: Permanency for All Children and Youth August 29-30, 2005 Washington, DC

A Framework and A Framework and Measures for Youth Measures for Youth

PermanencyPermanency

Adopt Us Kids Summit:Adopt Us Kids Summit:

Permanency for All Permanency for All

Children and YouthChildren and Youth

August 29-30, 2005August 29-30, 2005

Washington, DCWashington, DC

PPurpose of the Frameworkurpose of the Framework

This framework was developed and This framework was developed and discussed at a national Experts discussed at a national Experts Meeting co-sponsored on June 7-8, Meeting co-sponsored on June 7-8, 2004 by the National Resource 2004 by the National Resource Center for Foster Care and Center for Foster Care and Permanency Planning at the Permanency Planning at the Hunter College School of Social Hunter College School of Social Work and Casey Family Services Work and Casey Family Services through the Casey Center for through the Casey Center for Effective Child Welfare Practice. Effective Child Welfare Practice.

PPurpose of the Frameworkurpose of the Framework

The organizing framework for the The organizing framework for the Breakthrough Series Collaborative on Breakthrough Series Collaborative on Permanence for Young People can guide Permanence for Young People can guide child welfare agencies across the child welfare agencies across the country to help young people achieve country to help young people achieve and maintain permanent family and maintain permanent family relationships.relationships.

It neither prescribes nor recommends It neither prescribes nor recommends best practice models; rather, it proposes best practice models; rather, it proposes six key components of successfully six key components of successfully identifying and supporting permanent identifying and supporting permanent family relationships for young people in family relationships for young people in out-of-home care.out-of-home care.

What is Permanence?What is Permanence?

Permanence is not a philosophical process, a Permanence is not a philosophical process, a plan, or a foster care placement, nor is it plan, or a foster care placement, nor is it intended to be a family relationship that lasts intended to be a family relationship that lasts only until the child turns age18. only until the child turns age18.

Permanence is about locating and supporting Permanence is about locating and supporting a lifetime family. a lifetime family.

For young people in out-of-home placement, For young people in out-of-home placement, planning for permanence should begin at planning for permanence should begin at entry into care, and be youth-driven, family-entry into care, and be youth-driven, family-focused, culturally competent, continuous, focused, culturally competent, continuous, and approached with the highest degree of and approached with the highest degree of urgency.urgency.


Child welfare agencies, in partnership with Child welfare agencies, in partnership with the larger community, have a moral and the larger community, have a moral and professional responsibility to find a professional responsibility to find a permanent family relationship for each child permanent family relationship for each child and young person in foster care. and young person in foster care.


Permanence should bring physical, legal and Permanence should bring physical, legal and emotional safety and security within the context emotional safety and security within the context of a family relationship and allow multiple of a family relationship and allow multiple relationships with a variety of caring adults.relationships with a variety of caring adults.

At the same time, young people in out-of-home At the same time, young people in out-of-home care must be given opportunities, within the care must be given opportunities, within the family and community environment, to learn the family and community environment, to learn the array of life skills necessary to become array of life skills necessary to become independent and interdependent adults. independent and interdependent adults. Ensuring that young people in foster care have Ensuring that young people in foster care have both permanent relationships AND life skills for both permanent relationships AND life skills for independence is critical to future well-being.independence is critical to future well-being.


Permanence is achieved with a family Permanence is achieved with a family relationship that offers safe, stable, and relationship that offers safe, stable, and committed parenting, unconditional love, committed parenting, unconditional love, lifelong support, and legal family lifelong support, and legal family membership status. membership status.

Permanence can be the result of Permanence can be the result of preservation of the family, reunification with preservation of the family, reunification with birth family; or legal guardianship or birth family; or legal guardianship or adoption by kin, fictive kin, or other caring adoption by kin, fictive kin, or other caring and committed adults.and committed adults.

7 Foundational Principles7 Foundational Principles

This youth permanency framework is This youth permanency framework is built upon 7 key foundational built upon 7 key foundational principles. These principles express the principles. These principles express the overarching values that must guide all overarching values that must guide all policies, programs, practices, services policies, programs, practices, services and supports for young people. and supports for young people.

They are interrelated and work together They are interrelated and work together in a dynamic, synergistic way. While in a dynamic, synergistic way. While these principles are presented in a these principles are presented in a sequential order, this order does not sequential order, this order does not reflect a preferential order or each reflect a preferential order or each principle’s respective worth or principle’s respective worth or relevance. Each principle is critical and relevance. Each principle is critical and should be reflected in all policies, should be reflected in all policies, programs, practices, services and programs, practices, services and supports of the agency. supports of the agency.

Foundational PrinciplesFoundational Principles

1. Recognize that every young 1. Recognize that every young person is entitled to a person is entitled to a permanent family relationship, permanent family relationship, demonstrate that the agency is demonstrate that the agency is committed to achieving that committed to achieving that goal, and include multiple goal, and include multiple systems and the community at systems and the community at large in the effort to identify large in the effort to identify and support such relationships.and support such relationships.


2. Are driven by the young 2. Are driven by the young people themselves, in full people themselves, in full partnership with their families partnership with their families and the agency in all decision-and the agency in all decision-making and planning for their making and planning for their futures, recognizing that young futures, recognizing that young people are the best source of people are the best source of information about their own information about their own strengths and needs.strengths and needs.


3. Acknowledge that permanence 3. Acknowledge that permanence includes: a stable, healthy and includes: a stable, healthy and lasting (living situation within the lasting (living situation within the context of a –family relationship context of a –family relationship with at least one committed with at least one committed adult; reliable, continuous and adult; reliable, continuous and healthy connections with siblings, healthy connections with siblings, birth parents, extended family birth parents, extended family and a network of other significant and a network of other significant adults; and education and/or adults; and education and/or employment, life skills, supports employment, life skills, supports and services.and services.


4. Begin at first placement. Efforts 4. Begin at first placement. Efforts to achieve timely permanency to achieve timely permanency through reunification with the through reunification with the young person’s birth family must young person’s birth family must begin as soon as the young person begin as soon as the young person is placed, while engaging in is placed, while engaging in contingency planning with family contingency planning with family involvement regarding the range of involvement regarding the range of permanency options that can permanency options that can ensure stability and continuity of ensure stability and continuity of relationships if continued out-of-relationships if continued out-of-home placement is needed.home placement is needed.


5. Honor the cultural, racial, 5. Honor the cultural, racial, ethnic, linguistic, and ethnic, linguistic, and religious/spiritual backgrounds religious/spiritual backgrounds of young people and their of young people and their families and respect families and respect differences in sexual differences in sexual orientation.orientation.


6. Recognize and build upon the 6. Recognize and build upon the strengths and resilience of strengths and resilience of young people, their parents, young people, their parents, their families, and other their families, and other significant adults.significant adults.


7. Ensure that services and 7. Ensure that services and supports are provided in ways supports are provided in ways that are fair, responsive, and that are fair, responsive, and accountable to young people accountable to young people and their families, and do not and their families, and do not stigmatize them, their families stigmatize them, their families or their caregivers.or their caregivers.

Six ComponentsSix Components

These principles can be translated These principles can be translated into practice through six component into practice through six component areas of the work of the agency. areas of the work of the agency. Work done in each component should Work done in each component should reflect the core values defined by the reflect the core values defined by the key principles. key principles.

Component OneComponent One

Empower young people through Empower young people through information, support, and skills information, support, and skills (including independent living (including independent living skills) to be fully involved skills) to be fully involved partners in directing their own partners in directing their own permanency planning and permanency planning and decision-making.decision-making.


– Staff value, support, and provide Staff value, support, and provide opportunities for young people to opportunities for young people to advocate for themselves, young advocate for themselves, young people receive preparation that people receive preparation that enables them to acquire the skills enables them to acquire the skills necessary to do so, and necessary to do so, and communication with them is communication with them is honest, direct, and respects them honest, direct, and respects them as true partners.as true partners.


Agencies place young people in Agencies place young people in positions where they are in positions where they are in charge of driving discussions and charge of driving discussions and options and they receive training, options and they receive training, preparation, services and support preparation, services and support from child welfare agencies, from child welfare agencies, multiple systems and the multiple systems and the community at large to do so. community at large to do so.


Staff are trained and supported in Staff are trained and supported in using specialized permanency using specialized permanency planning skills that assist young planning skills that assist young people in addressing their fears, people in addressing their fears, feelings, family issues, hopes, feelings, family issues, hopes, dreams, and aspirations.dreams, and aspirations.

Component TwoComponent Two

Empower a wide range of Empower a wide range of individuals to participate in individuals to participate in permanency planning, beginning permanency planning, beginning with birth family and including with birth family and including extended family, tribal members, extended family, tribal members, past, present and future caregivers, past, present and future caregivers, other adults who are significant to other adults who are significant to the young person, other systems the young person, other systems with whom young people are with whom young people are involved, and other community involved, and other community members.members.


Young people and individuals Young people and individuals identified by them, including birth identified by them, including birth parents, extended family, parents, extended family, caregivers, tribal members, and caregivers, tribal members, and others who care about them are others who care about them are meaningfully included and meaningfully included and supported in participating in all supported in participating in all meetings, case planning, and meetings, case planning, and decision-making as true partners.decision-making as true partners.


Agencies respect and Agencies respect and accommodate the needs of young accommodate the needs of young people and individuals identified by people and individuals identified by them, including birth parents, them, including birth parents, extended family, caregivers, tribal extended family, caregivers, tribal members, and others who care members, and others who care about them, to enable and support about them, to enable and support their participation as true partners.their participation as true partners.


Young people are supported in Young people are supported in maintaining, identifying, seeking maintaining, identifying, seeking out, and developing relationships out, and developing relationships with significant connections, with significant connections, including birth parents, siblings, including birth parents, siblings, both paternal and maternal kin, both paternal and maternal kin, and other significant caring adults and other significant caring adults (such as past caregivers), including (such as past caregivers), including those that may have occurred those that may have occurred earlier in life.earlier in life.


Multiple systems within the Multiple systems within the community, including health, community, including health, mental health, education, mental health, education, recreation, job training, juvenile recreation, job training, juvenile justice, family court, faith-based justice, family court, faith-based organizations and the business organizations and the business community are engaged in the community are engaged in the permanency planning process, permanency planning process, where appropriate, for individual where appropriate, for individual young people. young people.

Component ThreeComponent Three

Consider, explore and implement a Consider, explore and implement a full range of permanency options in full range of permanency options in a timely and continuous way.a timely and continuous way.


Agencies, young people, and their Agencies, young people, and their families together identify a full families together identify a full range of actual and available range of actual and available permanency options without permanency options without imposing limitations based on the imposing limitations based on the age of the youth, beginning with age of the youth, beginning with an extensive identification of the an extensive identification of the family of origin.family of origin.


Agencies articulate to young Agencies articulate to young people, their families, and their people, their families, and their caregivers the full range of actual caregivers the full range of actual and available permanency options and available permanency options and the implications of each.and the implications of each.


The full team (including young The full team (including young people, family members, child people, family members, child welfare staff, staff of other welfare staff, staff of other systems with whom young people systems with whom young people are involved and other community are involved and other community stakeholders) receive training and stakeholders) receive training and support on a full spectrum of support on a full spectrum of options and are provided options and are provided opportunities to express and work opportunities to express and work through their values related to through their values related to permanency.permanency.


Concurrent planning for multiple Concurrent planning for multiple options and relationships is options and relationships is employed early, regularly and on employed early, regularly and on an ongoing basis for all young an ongoing basis for all young people, integrating a plan for people, integrating a plan for family permanency together with family permanency together with a plan for the development of life a plan for the development of life skills and the provision of skills and the provision of supports and services. supports and services.


The permanency option decided The permanency option decided upon together with each team upon together with each team (including young person, family (including young person, family members, and other significant members, and other significant adults) is based on the young adults) is based on the young person’s individual situation, needs person’s individual situation, needs and preferences; represents his or and preferences; represents his or her best interest; and is reassessed her best interest; and is reassessed regularly until a plan is achieved regularly until a plan is achieved that includes a permanent family that includes a permanent family relationship as well as life skills, relationship as well as life skills, supports and services. supports and services.


Agency infrastructure and Agency infrastructure and resources value and support the resources value and support the consideration of all potential consideration of all potential family permanency outcomes as family permanency outcomes as they relate to meeting the best they relate to meeting the best interests of the young person.interests of the young person.

Component FourComponent Four

From the beginning, From the beginning, continuously and concurrently continuously and concurrently employ a comprehensive range employ a comprehensive range of recruitment options. of recruitment options.


Young people are asked Young people are asked regularly and systematically regularly and systematically about people in their lives who about people in their lives who could assist in helping them could assist in helping them plan for their future and/or plan for their future and/or serve as permanent resources.serve as permanent resources.


Young people are provided Young people are provided with the skills and with the skills and opportunities to interact with opportunities to interact with multiple systems and multiple systems and community members in ways community members in ways that help build permanent that help build permanent relationships. relationships.


Multiple strategies are employed to Multiple strategies are employed to identify potential permanent family identify potential permanent family resources and significant adult resources and significant adult connections, including a review of connections, including a review of the entire case file, as well as the entire case file, as well as conversations with multiple sources, conversations with multiple sources, such as the young person, birth such as the young person, birth parents, siblings, extended family parents, siblings, extended family members, tribal members, former members, tribal members, former and current caregivers, teachers, and current caregivers, teachers, prior case workers, and other prior case workers, and other individuals in the community who individuals in the community who care about the young person.care about the young person.


Youth-specific recruitment Youth-specific recruitment strategies specific to each young strategies specific to each young person’s network of relationships person’s network of relationships are used to simultaneously are used to simultaneously engage individuals identified by engage individuals identified by young people in a joint planning young people in a joint planning process and in a process of process and in a process of mutual exploration of the extent mutual exploration of the extent and level of permanent family and level of permanent family commitment they could provide. commitment they could provide.


Youth and those who care for them Youth and those who care for them are educated on possible are educated on possible recruitment strategies for new recruitment strategies for new resource families: including relevant resource families: including relevant considerations regarding considerations regarding confidentiality, sharing of confidentiality, sharing of information and protection of the information and protection of the youth from exploitation. Youth-youth from exploitation. Youth-designed, self-promoting designed, self-promoting recruitment strategies and recruitment strategies and processes are employed, depending processes are employed, depending on the youth’s preferences and level on the youth’s preferences and level of comfort.of comfort.


All recruitment messages are All recruitment messages are shaped by, and/or to accurately shaped by, and/or to accurately reflect, the voices of young reflect, the voices of young people and families who have people and families who have lived/experienced the lived/experienced the continuum of permanency continuum of permanency relationships. relationships.


An array of methods and media An array of methods and media are used to raise awareness are used to raise awareness about the needs and aspirations about the needs and aspirations of young people, as well as to of young people, as well as to communicate recruitment communicate recruitment messages to the community.messages to the community.


A pool of potential permanency A pool of potential permanency resource families who reflect resource families who reflect the cultural, racial, ethnic, the cultural, racial, ethnic, linguistic, and religious/spiritual linguistic, and religious/spiritual backgrounds of the young backgrounds of the young people needing placement people needing placement exists and is continually exists and is continually replenished through targeted replenished through targeted recruitment efforts.recruitment efforts.


A pool of potential permanency A pool of potential permanency resource families who have a resource families who have a demonstrated knowledge of, demonstrated knowledge of, commitment to, and concern for commitment to, and concern for young people and can parent young people and can parent young people with the unique young people with the unique needs, characteristics, and needs, characteristics, and issues represented in the issues represented in the population exists and is population exists and is continually replenished through continually replenished through targeted recruitment efforts.targeted recruitment efforts.

Component FiveComponent Five

From the beginning of placement, From the beginning of placement, provide services and supports to provide services and supports to continuously ensure that young continuously ensure that young people and their families have people and their families have every opportunity to achieve and every opportunity to achieve and maintain physical, emotional, and maintain physical, emotional, and legal permanence.legal permanence.


– Young people in partnership with Young people in partnership with agencies make decisions about obtaining agencies make decisions about obtaining services and supports, which are made services and supports, which are made available through clearly established, available through clearly established, consistent processes. consistent processes.

– Birth family and tribal members, Birth family and tribal members, caregivers, other significant adults in a caregivers, other significant adults in a young person’s life, and service young person’s life, and service providers involved with the youth are providers involved with the youth are involved in decisions about obtaining involved in decisions about obtaining services and supports. These services services and supports. These services and supports are made available through and supports are made available through clearly established, consistent processes.clearly established, consistent processes.


– Services and supports are provided to Services and supports are provided to young people and their parents or their young people and their parents or their permanent families in ways that are: permanent families in ways that are:

Urgent – recognize the essential priority of Urgent – recognize the essential priority of assuring love and commitment to young assuring love and commitment to young people while meeting their overall people while meeting their overall developmental well-being, including their developmental well-being, including their educational needs; educational needs;

Comprehensive – address all aspects of a Comprehensive – address all aspects of a young person’s well-being, including health, young person’s well-being, including health, mental health, education and life skills;mental health, education and life skills;

Continuous – available from the day of entry Continuous – available from the day of entry into care to beyond the achievement of a into care to beyond the achievement of a permanency goal, regardless of age;permanency goal, regardless of age;


Universally available – are available Universally available – are available regardless of permanency goal, regardless of permanency goal, educational or employment choice, educational or employment choice, living arrangement, placement living arrangement, placement location, or permanency outcome;location, or permanency outcome;

Customized – meet the unique needs Customized – meet the unique needs of young people, birth families and of young people, birth families and permanent families and are assessed permanent families and are assessed and adjusted regularly to reflect and adjusted regularly to reflect progress and changes;progress and changes;


Culturally appropriate – value and Culturally appropriate – value and honor the culture of the young person honor the culture of the young person and his/her birth family and and his/her birth family and permanent family; and permanent family; and

Accessible – provide access to the full Accessible – provide access to the full range of services and supports in a range of services and supports in a timely and convenient manner.timely and convenient manner.


– The financial needs of young people The financial needs of young people and their families are recognized, and their families are recognized, sources of funding to meet their needs sources of funding to meet their needs are identified, and assistance in are identified, and assistance in accessing such funding is provided, accessing such funding is provided, regardless of legal status. regardless of legal status.

– Community members and community Community members and community agencies are involved in providing and agencies are involved in providing and advocating for supports and services to advocating for supports and services to young people and their families.young people and their families.

Component SixComponent Six

Agencies collaborate with other Agencies collaborate with other systems that serve young people systems that serve young people and families to engage young and families to engage young people and families as true partners people and families as true partners and to provide services, support and to provide services, support and opportunities during and after and opportunities during and after placement.placement.


– Agency staff and partners in other Agency staff and partners in other systems receive training, education, and systems receive training, education, and support to address their fears, feelings, support to address their fears, feelings, assumptions, and beliefs about assumptions, and beliefs about permanency and positive youth permanency and positive youth development to support a culture of development to support a culture of youth and family partnership.youth and family partnership.

– Young people, their families, and others Young people, their families, and others who care about young people are directly who care about young people are directly involved in the development and delivery involved in the development and delivery of all agency and cross-system training of all agency and cross-system training and education about permanency and and education about permanency and positive youth development to support a positive youth development to support a culture of youth and family partnership.culture of youth and family partnership.


– Young people, their families, and the Young people, their families, and the systems that serve them (including systems that serve them (including courts and attorneys) have a common courts and attorneys) have a common understanding, language and set of understanding, language and set of beliefs about permanency definitions beliefs about permanency definitions and work to expand permanency options and work to expand permanency options with a focus on youth-defined options.with a focus on youth-defined options.

– Agency staff, together with young Agency staff, together with young people and families, engage both people and families, engage both traditional and non-traditional partners traditional and non-traditional partners in the community to broaden awareness in the community to broaden awareness and to advocate for the need for life and to advocate for the need for life skills and permanence for young people skills and permanence for young people in out-of-home care.in out-of-home care.


– Young people and families are Young people and families are continuously involved in designing, continuously involved in designing, implementing, and evaluating the implementing, and evaluating the systems that serve them.systems that serve them.

– Agency staff, together with young Agency staff, together with young people and families, continuously people and families, continuously identify and address critical system, identify and address critical system, cross-system, and policy changes cross-system, and policy changes needed to develop an effective and needed to develop an effective and comprehensive system of permanence comprehensive system of permanence for young people.for young people.

Why Develop Measures?Why Develop Measures?

Although there are a multitude of Although there are a multitude of measures that agencies can use to measures that agencies can use to define and evaluate permanency define and evaluate permanency services, supports, and outcomes, child services, supports, and outcomes, child welfare agencies are already responsible welfare agencies are already responsible for many required data reports such as for many required data reports such as the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), and Reporting System (AFCARS), National Child Abuse and Neglect Data National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), and state mandated System (NCANDS), and state mandated reports. To that end, the expert group reports. To that end, the expert group limited the number of suggested key limited the number of suggested key measures to seven and included several measures to seven and included several that are being captured through existing that are being captured through existing data systems already.data systems already.

Measures For Youth Measures For Youth PermanencyPermanency

Why Develop Measures?Why Develop Measures?

Agencies that expect real and sustainable Agencies that expect real and sustainable improvements in their systems of improvements in their systems of permanence for young people should permanence for young people should track all seven of these measures. No track all seven of these measures. No single measure can indicate whether the single measure can indicate whether the system is improving for young people and system is improving for young people and their families. Moreover, sometimes their families. Moreover, sometimes focusing on a single measure causes an focusing on a single measure causes an unintended negative effect on another unintended negative effect on another key measure. Thus, the complete body of key measure. Thus, the complete body of measures proposed in this document measures proposed in this document should be used together. It is should be used together. It is recommended that these measures be recommended that these measures be tracked on a monthly basis, as this is the tracked on a monthly basis, as this is the only real way to see incremental progress only real way to see incremental progress and make adjustments as needed. and make adjustments as needed.

Why Develop Measures ?Why Develop Measures ?

Other systems that serve and support Other systems that serve and support young people should also be young people should also be encouraged to track key measures of encouraged to track key measures of permanence as well. Courts, permanence as well. Courts, employment offices, housing employment offices, housing organizations, schools, and similar organizations, schools, and similar agencies and organizations are agencies and organizations are partners in this work and this partners in this work and this partnership should include shared partnership should include shared responsibility and accountability responsibility and accountability through joint measurement.through joint measurement.

Why Develop Measures ?Why Develop Measures ?

While only a few sets of measures While only a few sets of measures recommend tracking data by recommend tracking data by race/ethnicity, it is strongly race/ethnicity, it is strongly encouraged that all measures are encouraged that all measures are tracked by race/ethnicity. To identify tracked by race/ethnicity. To identify and address disparities in outcomes for and address disparities in outcomes for children and families of color in the children and families of color in the public child welfare system, all public child welfare system, all measures should be tracked by measures should be tracked by race/ethnicity.race/ethnicity.

Key MeasuresKey Measures

– Legal PermanenceLegal Permanence– Increase in the number and Increase in the number and

percentage of young people who percentage of young people who achieve legal family permanence achieve legal family permanence through reunification, adoption, or through reunification, adoption, or guardianship (by race and guardianship (by race and ethnicity).ethnicity).


– Youth-Defined PermanenceYouth-Defined Permanence– Increase in the number and Increase in the number and

percentage of young people who percentage of young people who leave out of home care reporting leave out of home care reporting that they have the optimal level of that they have the optimal level of family belonging and membership family belonging and membership based on their vision and based on their vision and definition of permanence. definition of permanence.


– Placement Settings and StabilityPlacement Settings and Stability– Decrease in the number and Decrease in the number and

percentage of young people in percentage of young people in non-family settings, e.g. non-family settings, e.g. institutional and group home institutional and group home settings. settings.

– Decrease the number of moves Decrease the number of moves young people experience in out-of-young people experience in out-of-home care.home care.


– Participation in MeetingsParticipation in Meetings– Increase in the number and Increase in the number and

percentage of young people who percentage of young people who report that they actively report that they actively participate in their own case participate in their own case planning and decision-making and planning and decision-making and that their wishes are respected.that their wishes are respected.


– Training and EducationTraining and Education– Increase in preparation, training, Increase in preparation, training,

education, and/or support that is education, and/or support that is provided about permanence for provided about permanence for young people to key constituency young people to key constituency groups such as: Young people, groups such as: Young people, families and extended families; families and extended families; Agency staff; Courts; Tribal Agency staff; Courts; Tribal Courts; Attorneys; CASA workers; Courts; Attorneys; CASA workers; Schools; Probation officers; Schools; Probation officers; Community providers; Other key Community providers; Other key partners as determined by the partners as determined by the young people or the Departmentyoung people or the Department


– Maintaining ConnectionsMaintaining Connections– Increase in the number and Increase in the number and

percentage of young people who percentage of young people who maintain connections with their maintain connections with their birth parents, siblings, extended birth parents, siblings, extended family members and other family members and other significant adults in their lives.significant adults in their lives.


– Available Potential Resource Available Potential Resource FamiliesFamilies

– Increase in the number and Increase in the number and percentage of resource families percentage of resource families (foster, adoptive, kinship families) (foster, adoptive, kinship families) who have a demonstrated who have a demonstrated knowledge of, commitment to, and knowledge of, commitment to, and concern for young people and can concern for young people and can parent young people with the parent young people with the unique needs, characteristics, and unique needs, characteristics, and issues represented in the issues represented in the population.population.

Gerald P. Mallon, DSWGerald P. Mallon, DSWProfessor and Executive DirectorProfessor and Executive Director

National Resource Center for Family-National Resource Center for Family-CenteredCentered

Practice and Permanency Planning at thePractice and Permanency Planning at theHunter College School of Social WorkHunter College School of Social Work

A Service of the Children’s Bureau/ACF-DHHSA Service of the Children’s Bureau/ACF-DHHS

129 East 79th Street129 East 79th StreetNew York, New York 10021New York, New York 10021

(212) 452-7043/direct; (212) 452-7475/fax(212) 452-7043/direct; (212) 452-7475/faxEmail –[email protected] –[email protected]

Website – Website – www.nrcfcppp.org-www.nrcfcppp.org-

Documents

A Framework and Measures for Youth Permanency Adopt Us Kids Summit: Permanency for All Children and Youth August 29-30, 2005 Washington, DC