Greetings Permanency Champions,
Story of the Week:
The internet cheers for little girl whose adoption finally became official
A representative for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption said that Gina’s photo has sparked interest in adoptions with more than 11,000 comments and questions on the photo. “Many of the comments are people looking for more information on adopting from foster care. It has created so much interest in adoption that DTFA’s website crashed.”
Current Permanency related articles:
Challenges of interacting with Birth Parents
Dr. John DeGarmo talks about one of the most difficult aspects of being a foster parent: The interaction with birth parents. Here are some suggestions on how to make this relationship better for all involved.
Philomena Lee, US lawmaker push adoption rights
Associated Press – Her experience is a powerful argument for Ireland to open the adoption records for thousands more mothers whose children ended up in U.S. cities such as St. Louis, Philadelphia, Boston and New York, Sen. Claire McCaskill said Thursday after a meeting with Lee.
Engaging African American Families in Adoption and Foster Care
AdoptUS Kids has created a guide: Working with African American Adoptive, Foster, and Kinship Families (PDF – 2.5 MB) to assist public and private child welfare staff in their work with prospective and current foster, adoptive and kinship families. While recognizing that there is no “one size fits all” description of African American families, the publication highlights strengths common to many families. It includes an historical perspective on the under- and over- inclusion of African American children in the child welfare system and the essential role that caregiving families have played even in the face of discrimination and hardship. The guide includes practice tips along with a resource listing for additional information.
Group schools Capitol Hill staffers on foster youths’ educational struggles
The Chronicle of Social Change – A national working group conducted back-to-back briefings with Capitol Hill staffers today, urging them to consider how the federal government can help improve the flow and quality of education for children in the foster care system. The National Working Group on Foster Care and Education facilitated the meetings with staff from both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
New Worlds of Adoption Conference – 2014
April 11th, 2014 | UMass Amherst – Keynote – Dr. Philip Fisher – Professor of Psychology, University of Oregon – “A New Model for Innovation and Best Practices to Maximize Prosperity among Adopted Children, Maltreated Children, and Their Families.” Conference will also include Panel Discussions, Topical Concurrent Sessions, and Posters Displaying Research and Programs.
Risk Factors for Female Crossover Youth
An April 2013 issue brief by Advocates for Children and Youth (ACY) provides an overview of existing research, the unique risk factors of, and the trends associated with teen girls involved with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems in Maryland.
Youth involved with both child welfare and juvenile justice face myriad challenges, which generally require more intensive services than youth involved in a single system. However, these youth often do not receive the coordinated services and support they need because of the inherent barriers associated with cross-agency collaboration. Of these youth, a disproportionately large number are female, specifically women of color, yet little research exists to examine this phenomenon.
Transitioning Youth With Disabilities
Youth with disabilities face additional challenges as they transition from the child welfare system to independent living. Compared to their peers, this population is at increased risk for poor outcomes and need high-quality programs and services to help them live independently and safely. Three guides from the Juvenile Law Center are designed to provide professionals with a framework for supporting youth with disabilities and are transitioning out of care: 1) A Guide for Professionals for Youth with Disabilities Transition Planning; 2) Planning Tool and Protocol for Transition Planning for Youth with Disabilities from the Child Welfare System to Adulthood; 3) Transition Planning for Youth with Disabilities in the Child Welfare System: A Guide for Youth
The National Resource Center on Adoption (NRCA) is developing a project to share the stories of individuals and families who have experienced adoption in the United States. The adoption experience varies greatly from family to family, and the Adoption Tapestry project aims to share these different perspectives from families across the entire nation. The project consists of unscripted audio stories told by people who have been adopted and their families in which they share their firsthand experiences with adoption and guardianship. The stories will be collected and displayed via a map of the United States on the project’s dedicated webpage on NRCA’s website. The goal is to have each State represented by a personal account of an adoption experience, and NCRA will continue adding audio clips to the map throughout the year.