Independent Living Resource Center

Exploring Permanency for Youth:

May 16, 2002

Gerald P. Mallon, DSW

National Resource Center for Foster Care and Permanency Planning

At the Hunter College School of Social Work

All Youth Need Independent Living Skills to Foster Self Sufficiency, and Transition to Independence

and . . .They Also Need a Permanency Plan and Life Time Connections

Permanency is not Independent Living a.k.a. Long term Foster Care orAdoption . . . It is much more

What are the Array of Permanency Options? Reunification with parent(s) Family search – Red Cross model Permanent connections with significant

person – formal or informal Adoption Mentoring relationship Life time connections with agency staff

Resources

Iowa project Ohio report You Gotta Believe NRCYD Report Permanency Planning for the Older

Adolescent - Joan Morse

Iowa Report:Permanency for Teens Project

Landsman, M.J., Tyler, M., Black, J., Malone, K., and Groza, V. (February 1999). The Permanency for Teens Project.  Iowa City, Iowa: University of Iowa School of Social Work, 79 pp.

AFSA means timely permanency, but not rushed permanency!

Challenge 1:Developing a Comprehensive

Definition of PermanencyBarriers to Change

Child welfare typically defines permanency as adoption

The terms permanence and placement are synonymous in child welfare

Permanency goals are frequently placement options, not permanent relationships

Challenge 1:Developing a Comprehensive

Definition of PermanencyRecommendations

Persistent and consistent training on the absolute necessity of identifying and sustaining permanent relationships for youth

Comprehensive training in areas of adolescent development, issues around attachment disorders, and the importance of permanent relationships in the lives of youth

Challenge 2:Prioritizing Youth in Permanency

PlanningBarriers to Change

A common attitude is that youth are “unadoptable”

Child welfare professionals do not view permanency for youth as a priority; youth get attention when they are in crisis

Challenge 2:Prioritizing Youth in Permanency

PlanningRecommendations

States and contract agencies must very assertive in their supervision to direct line staff concerning permanency for adolescents

Develop a purchase of service rate for permanency activities

Incorporate a team approach to planning

Challenge 2:Prioritizing Youth in Permanency

Planning

RecommendationsLower caseloads for adolescent

permanency workersContinuity of staffHire staff that enjoy working with

adolescents

Challenge 3:Reliance on the Practice of

Sequential PlanningBarriers to Change

This practice has historically been the dominant planning method used by child welfare professionals

The legal system tends to view this practice as the only planning method that insures reasonable efforts at reunification

Challenge 3:Reliance on the Practice of

Sequential PlanningRecommendations

Adopt an approach to concurrent permanency planning

Training in concurrent permanency planning

Supervision and support for concurrent approaches to permanency planning

Challenge 4:Limited Involvement of Youth in Their Own Permanency Plans

Barriers to Change Typically case planning and case

management has been a function of professionals involved in the case

Child welfare professionals have spent limited time and effort locating individuals significantly connected to youth

Challenge 4:Limited Involvement of Youth in Their Own Permanency Plans

Barriers to Change Emotional and behavioral issues of youth may

prevent them from active participation in the Permanency Planning Process

Lack of recognition regarding the importance of birth families in the lives of youth

Youth are often not invited to the table or meetings are held while they are in school or working

Challenge 4:Limited Involvement of Youth in Their Own Permanency Plans

Recommendations Youth need to be viewed as equal

members of the team Greater openness to birth family

involvement Time and resources need to be

allocated to locate individuals connected to youth

Challenge 4:Limited Involvement of Youth in Their Own Permanency Plans

Recommendations Invite to the table any person who has

demonstrated an interest in the well-being of the youth

The team must make a commitment to helping the youth establish a life long connection and relationship before discharge to self

Nurturing relationships between siblings and or extended family should be a priority in working toward permanency

Challenge 5:Lack of Permanent Resources

Barriers to Change General Recruitment and Retention

Strategies of Resource Families Does Not Work for Youth

Focus on adoption rather than a range of permanent options and permanent connections

Challenge 5:Lack of Permanent Resources

Recommendations Youth must be allowed to fully participate

in the identification of individuals with whom they have felt a connection in their lives

Recruit for connections in addition to placement options

Target child-specific recruitment to meet the needs of individual youth

Challenge 6:Lack of Pre-Post Placement

Support Services

Barriers to Change Current reimbursement strategies do not

permit the range of support services necessary to promote permanency

Rigid definitions of pre and post support services defies creative approaches

Challenge 6:Lack of Pre-Post Placement

Support Services

Recommendations Develop funding options that may be

accessed for permanency activities Broaden the definition of permanency

activities to allow for creative use of funds and innovative initiatives

Provide intensive services before and after placement as needed

Challenge 7:Lack of Financial Flexibility to

Foster Permanent Relationships

Barriers to Change Financial structures support placements

in limited ways, but fail to support activities related to permanent connects

Accessing financial assistance necessary to support permanence is difficult

Challenge 7:Lack of Financial Flexibility to

Foster Permanent Relationships

Recommendations Develop funding pools with less

restrictions allowing for greater creativity and innovation

Make funding for permanency activities accessible to case managers

Challenge 8:Legal Barriers to Alternate Forms

of Permanency

Barriers to Change Unwillingness of the legal system to

recognize alternate forms of permanence, such as guardianship in some states

Inconsistency between regions of legal permanent options

Severe delays in some state systems, such as the Interstate Compact office

Challenge 8:Legal Barriers to Alternate Forms

of Permanency

Recommendations Courts need to be more consistent in recognizing

and endorsing alternative forms of permanent connections for youth, including connections with biological family, and fictive kinship networks

Concurrent permanency planning language should be adopted by the courts

Courts need to consider reinstating parental rights if appropriate

Challenge 8:Legal Barriers to Alternate Forms

of Permanency

Recommendations Current systems which are deemed to be

ineffective need to be retooled to foster rather than hinder permanency for youth

Adult and juvenile systems need better integration or services

Conclusions

Permanency for Youth is NOT Simply a Matter of

Providing Independent Living Services or

Offering Adoption

Conclusions

Youth in Out-of-Home Care need the same things

that all youth need:

1. preparation for self sufficiency

and life skills so that they can learn to live

independently as they transition toward adulthood

2. an array of permanency options – not

placements that consistently promote life long

connections and facilitate healthy relationships

NRCFCPP Can Help

Gerald P. Mallon, DSW, Director

The National Resource Center for Foster

Care and Permanency Planning

Hunter College School of Social Work

129 East 79th Street

New York, New York 10021

(212) 452-7043

Mrengmal@aol.com

www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/nrcfcpp