Permanency Tip of the Week: Processing Loss as a Child / Living it as a Teenager
When we experience a toddler who is sad, scared and hurt in response to a loss, it often evokes in us care and compassion. When a teenager experience the same emotions, they may display them in profoundly different ways – anger, aggression, defiance, withdrawal. It is these responses, not the underlying feelings that can make it hard for caregivers and providers to have the same level of care and compassion. It is at these points in time which we need to remember that underneath that challenging teenager exterior is often a hurt and scared child in desperate need of our care and compassion.
Permanency Story of the Week: Adopted right before turning 18: Mary Lee’s Story
This broadcast guest is Mary Lee and her dad Scott who share their story about how Mary came into foster care at 12 and got adopted right before she turned 18 by the worker, Scott, who was helping to recruit a home for her. Hear Mary’s story about why it was so important to her to be adopted before she turned 18…
Current Permanency Related Articles:
Webinar Recording: Improving Permanency Outcomes for Older Youth
The Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative’s webinar, Improving Permanency Outcomes for Older Youth, highlights ways states can reduce the use of Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (APPLA) and improve permanency outcomes for older youth. The webinar is the fifth in a six-part series titled, Leveraging the Strengthening Families Act. The Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (SFA) contains provisions to help increase the number of youth placed in permanent families and connected with caring adults as they transition to adulthood. The law does this, in part, by restricting the use of APPLA. The webinar featured additional resources, including the Funding Youth Permanency Guide, that can be found at the Families NOW website.
Social Security offers online tools for foster care youths
A new policy from the Social Security Administration allows foster youth of all ages with disabilities to apply for Supplemental Security Income benefits six months before they leave care, and a new online toolkit is available to help families apply for the benefits immediately. A special toolkit to help qualifying foster youth with disabilities who are preparing to transition out of foster take immediate advantage of the new policy.
Upcoming Webinar on Family First Legislation
On August 29th at 4pm PST – National Foster Youth Institute (NFYI) will participate in a webinar to help explain the content in the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2016. With our colleagues at FosterClub and Casey Family Programs, we will go over the basic information contained in this legislation and describe how the bill will affect children, young adults and families. It has already been passed by the House, and when Congress comes back in session it will go before the Senate.
Adoption dilemma: Do children have ‘right’ to know their birth parents?
It’s not a question without some concerns. Some fear that in an era of more open adoption, a woman might be reluctant to give up a child for adoption knowing that the child could seek her out later. The same is possible for someone contributing to artificial insemination. On the other hand, some individuals might welcome those possibilities. It all raises questions about policy and how one – or a society – decides.
Listen & Learn! NEW Child Welfare Information Gateway Podcast Series
Child Welfare Information Gateway has created a Podcast series to connect you to new ideas, tips, and examples of what’s working across the front lines of child welfare. Hear how you can improve your practice and have better outcomes directly from those who are making a difference. The first two podcasts are live—listen between your visits and meetings, and during your free time.
Our two podcasts are “Engaging Youth in Foster Care,” featuring Sixto Cancel, a former foster youth and CEO of Think Of Us, and “Developing and Sustaining a Parent Partner Program,” featuring the lessons learned and success stories from the Iowa Parent Partner Program.
Educational Stability in Foster Care Webpage
For children and youth in foster care, changing foster homes may require changing schools. Going to a new school may cause interruptions to a child’s education due to delays in transferring records, assimilating to a new environment, and finding new transportation. ESSA was recently signed into law and includes provisions to support children and youth in foster care…The new webpage contains more than 40 resources that address common challenges, including immediate enrollment, collaboration among agencies, transportation, data sharing, and decision-making. The webpage also includes the ESSA non-regulatory guidance released by HHS and ED and a link to the Federal legislation.