Summer 2005

On October 1, 2004 the Hunter CollegeSchool of Social Work, in partnership with theChild Welfare League of America and theNational Indian Child Welfare Association,entered into a new cooperative agreementwith the Children's Bureau to establish theNational Resource Center (NRC) for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency Planning.I am delighted to be able to continue the workwe have been doing for the past ten years,first as the NRC for Permanency Planning (fis-cal years 1993-1998), and most recently asthe NRC for Foster Care and PermanencyPlanning (1999-2004).

Establishing a National Resource Center for“family-centered practice” and “permanencyplanning” acknowledges the complex realitythat, while families are the best places forchildren and youth to grow up, for some theirfamilies of origin may not be a safe place forthem to live. Providing as much support aspossible to birth families to assist them inbeing safe and permanent caregivers for theirchildren, while at the same time planning foranother option if our efforts are not successful,must be accomplished through a family-cen-tered orientation. Further, when planning foranother option, we reflect the family-cen-teredness of our practice by seeking the opti-mal connection a child can have to family,culture and community. An NRC that inte-grates family-centered practice with the goalof permanence makes a statement thatstrengthening and supporting all families -birth, adoptive, kinship, guardian, and foster- is the best way to ensure children's timelypermanence, stability, safety and continuity infamily relationships.

In this issue of Permanency Planning Today, abiannual publication of the NRC, we highlightsome of the ways in which family-centeredpractice has already been incorporated intomuch of the training and technical assistancewe have been providing to the states.

o What is Family-Centered Practice?An article adapted from one prepared by theprevious National Child Welfare ResourceCenter on Family Centered Practice, gives abrief overview and four essential componentsof family-centered practice in child welfare.

o Subsidized Guardianship: What Does itHave to do with Family-Centered Practice?Describes ways in which family-centered prac-tice has been integrated into the work of theNational Collaboration to Promote Permanencythrough Subsidized Guardianship.

o Strengthening the Indian Child Welfare ActBy Providing Resources for Families, Tribes, andStates describes resources available from theNational Indian Child Welfare Association tohelp parents and families as well as casework-ers understand the provisions of the IndianChild Welfare Act, which has become animportant link to the survival of both tribes andtribal culture.

o Family-Centered Practice with SiblingsDiscusses our recognition of the importance ofsiblings in the lives of children and highlightsthe work of the Oklahoma Department ofHuman Services as it focuses attention on sib-lings in out-of-home care.

Gerald P. Mallon, DSW

from the desk ofTHEDIRECTOR

Permanency Planning TodayPermanency Planning Today

The idea of involving the familyas a part of valid intervention in child welfare is still rela-tively new when compared to other, well-establishedmodes of practice. Traditionally, child welfare efforts werechild focused. They were intended to protect, provide carefor, and plan for children who were separated from theirparents because of abandonment or abuse and who wereliving in some form of out-of-home care. Children wereseen as victims of incompetent parents and the solution tothe maltreatment problem was to separate the childrenfrom their parents, placing them in the hands of foster careproviders.

The intent was to encourage parentsto learn to become better parents. Parents were given con-ditions that had to be met to be reunited with their children.These conditions might include getting a job, cleaning uptheir apartments, learning better parenting skills, or engag-ing in counseling to solve the underlying problems thatwere thought to cause them to be abusive and neglectful.Many of the parents became labeled as "unmotivated,""resistant," and "in denial" or refusing to "assume respon-sibility" of their problems.

As a result of this approachan increasing number of children were found to be driftingin foster care, often subjected to repeated re-placement,ultimately losing the affectional ties, but not the legalbonds, that linked them to their families. These children hadno hope of either going home again or gaining permanen-cy through adoption. Still others, largely because of race orethnicity - mainly African Americans, Hispanics, andNative Americans - became overrepresented because ofchild welfare's historic misunderstanding of their needs.

As a result of the 1980 Adoption Assistance and ChildWelfare Act (PL 96-272), the Family Preservation andSupport Act of 1993 (PL 103-66), the Safe and StableFamily Program in 1997, the Child Abuse Prevention andTreatment Act (CAPTA), recently reauthorized as part of theKeeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003, and thePromoting Safe and Stable Families Amendments (PSSF) of2001, the scope and purposes of child welfare programsrequire a comprehensive plan of family-centered services:

; to help families manage the tasks of daily living, ade-quately nurture children, and remedy problem situations

; to make "reasonable efforts" to keep children and youthin their own homes whenever possible rather than plac-ing them in foster care

; to safeguard children from dangerous living situations,and protect the right of every child to grow up with asense of well-being, belonging, and permanence

Shifting the focus from the child to the family has often beenviewed in child welfare as creating a dichotomy betweenthe goals of protecting children and preserving and sup-porting families. But effective family-centered practicedepends on a clear understanding of the relationshipbetween these two goals. The belief that the best approachto protect children is to strengthen families acknowledgesthat there are times in the lives of families when they maybe weak from exposure to stressors such as poverty, poorhousing, substance abuse, domestic violence, or mental ill-ness. Furthermore, since help and timely intervention maynot be available, some families may respond minimally ornot at all to efforts to help them, and still others may requirelong-term help and support, it sometimes becomes neces-sary to determine if out-of-home care is needed. When it isthe plan of choice, the task is to manage placements inways that minimize, as far as possible, the pain and bewil-derment of separation and assure that children who go intocare will be protected and well nurtured pending comple-tion of a permanent plan.

WHAT ISFAMILY-CENTERED

PRACTICE?

Adapted from the National Child Welfare Resource Center on FamilyCentered Practice. (2000, Summer). Can we put clothes on this emperor? Best Practice/Next PracticeYou can find this publication on our website athttp://www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/nrcfcpp/newsletters.html#BPNP

1 THE FAMILY UNITIS THE FOCUS OF ATTENTIONFamily-centered practice workswith the family as a collective unit,insuring the safety and well-beingof family members.

2 STRENGTHENING THECAPACITY OF FAMILIESTO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELYIS EMPHASIZEDThe primary purpose of family-centered practice is to strengthenthe family's potential for carryingout their responsibilities.

3 FAMILIES ARE ENGAGEDIN DESIGNINGALL ASPECTS OF THEPOLICIES, SERVICES& PROGRAM EVALUATIONFamily-centered practitionerspartner with families to use theirexpert knowledge throughout thedecision and goal-makingprocesses and provide individual-ized, culturally-responsive, andrelevant services for each family.

4 FAMILIES ARE LINKEDWITH MORE COMPREHENSIVE,DIVERSE & COMMUNITY-BASEDNETWORKS OFSUPPORTS & SERVICESFamily-centered interventionsassist in mobilizing resources tomaximize communication, sharedplanning, and collaborationamong the several communityand/or neighborhood systems thatare directly involved in the family.

The EssentialComponents of

Family-CenteredPractice in

Child Welfare

Comprehensive family assessment guidelines were issues by the Children's Bureau inJune, 2005. Comprehensive family assessment guidelines are recommended when itis determined that the child welfare agency is responsible for serving the family.

This document which is located on-line at:http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/publications/family_assessment/index.htm

☛ Defines and describes the comprehensive family assessment (CFA) process in childwelfare

☛ Articulates the assumptions of quality practice that support the comprehensive fami-ly assessment;

☛ Identifies the key points in the casework process when comprehensive family assess-ment and re-assessment are needed

☛ Suggests how the comprehensive family assessment can be used to develop serviceplans and inform recommendations to the Dependency Court regarding the need forcare, custody, and control of the child

☛ Provides a case example that illustrates the process of comprehensive family assess-ment

☛ Identifies organizational and administrative supports necessary for effective compre-hensive family assessment

These guidelines address the components of comprehensive family assessment, showthe linkages to service planning and service provision, and illustrate how child welfareagencies can support their use. As states and agencies use these guidelines, they will beupdated using the knowledge and experience gained from the implementation of com-prehensive assessment. These guidelines are provided as an initial framework to facili-tate efforts to move the child welfare community towards comprehensive assessment asa best practice. Additional technical assistance is being developed to support the imple-mentation of these guidelines.

COMPREHENSIVE FAMILYASSESSMENT GUIDELINES

Toolbox #3:Facilitating Permanency for Youth By Gerald P. Mallon, DSW

Facilitating permanency for youth in foster care can be challenging.Although the child welfare system has maintained in its policies andpractices a clear focus for younger children in need of permanency, ithas been less explicit on the logistics of facilitating that goal. This pub-lication focuses on promising practices and approaches shown to pro-mote permanency for youth. Contents include a current literature andresearch review; highlights of promising strategies, partnerships, andinnovative public policies; case review prototypes; strategies forincluding the adolescent in the service planning process; definitions ofoutcomes for adolescent permanency; and many other areas. Thisbook will provide practitioners with the vision and the practical guid-ance needed to facilitate and support permanency for youth and thusimprove youth chances for safety, permanency, and well-being.

Please see the others in the series:Toolbox #1: Using Visitation to Support PermanencyToolbox #2: Expanding the Role of Foster Parents

in Achieving Permanency for ChildrenOrder online: http://www.cwla.org/pubs

Family-Centered Practicewith

SIBLINGSby Susan Dougherty & Roland St. John

There are over 500,000 children in the foster care system and, bydefinition, the majority are separated from parents - AFCARS,2004. Estimates are that perhaps 70% of them have brothers andsisters who are also in care - and that perhaps half are separat-ed from one or more of their siblings. In addition, around 50,000children are being adopted from the foster care system eachyear, and we do not know how many brothers and sisters areseparated, perhaps with no ability to stay connected.

No-one would argue that siblings are not an important part offamilies, yet child welfare has been slow to develop consistentpolicies and practices aimed at ensuring that brothers and sistersstay together whenever possible and remain connected whenseparation is necessary.

The Child and Family Service Review (CFSR) process identifiesplacement with siblings as one of six performance indicators tobe used in determining whether states are in substantial conform-ity with Permanency Outcome 2: The continuity of family relation-ships and connections is preserved for children. The indicatorlooks at the extent to which the state places brothers and sisterstogether in foster care and, if siblings are not placed together,whether evidence establishes a need for the separation.

IIn the National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practiceand Permanency Planning's (NRCFCPPP) work with States, wehave long recognized the importance of the sibling relationshipas a vital component of family-centered practice:

]We devote a page of resources about sibling issues in theInformation Services of our website.

]Our Sibling Practice Curriculum is designed to enhanceunderstanding of issues concerning siblings in out-of-homecare, expand knowledge and skills in making appropriateplacement decisions for sibling groups, enhance knowledgeand skills in the recruitment and retention of resource familieswilling and able to parent sibling groups, enhance ability topresent appropriate information to the court to support sib-ling groups, and increase knowledge of policy and legisla-tion affecting sibling placements in participants' jurisdictions.

]Our Permanence for Young People Framework recognizesthe importance of maintaining sibling connections as well asties to birth parents, siblings, both paternal and maternal kin,and other significant caring adults (such as past caregivers),

including those that may have occurred earlier in life] Past issues of Permanency Planning Today have highlighted

sibling issues, including:Sibling Ties are Worth Preserving(Adapted from Spring 1999 Adoptalk, the quarterly newsletterof the North American Council on Adoptable Children) in theWinter 2003 issueLearning Through the Experiences of a Former Foster Youth:How Family Foster Care Affects Foster Childrenin the Fall/Winter 2000 issue.

In April, 2004 we had an opportunity to provide technical assis-tance to the State of Oklahoma. Oklahoma was already a leaderin its efforts to place siblings together and maintain connectionsbetween brothers and sisters. State law has reflected a clear leg-islative intent to place siblings together in both foster care andpermanent placement, or to maintain contact or visits if that is notin their best interests, since the initiation of the Oklahoma FosterCare and Out-of-Home Placement Act in 1996 (OklahomaStatutes, Title 10, Chapter 72, Section 7202 (12)). Department ofHuman Services policy expands on this intent with statementsabout foster care and adoption placement responsibilities, visit-ing, and foster parent responsibilities, and are enhanced withspecific instructions to staff. Information about siblings is collectedby Oklahoma Children's Information and Data System (KIDS),over and above that required by the federal Adoption and FosterCare Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS). A SiblingSeparation Committee meets regularly to address sibling issuesand oversee placement decisions. In 2002 the State achieved arating of “strength” in its CFSR final report on the two items relat-ed to siblings, item 12 (placement with siblings) and item 13 (visit-ing with parents and siblings in foster care). Nevertheless, theNRC was invited to assist in the further improvement of the state'spractice with siblings by using our Sibling Practice Curriculum asa starting point for the development of strategic plan on siblingplacement.

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) has hada Child Welfare Statewide Automated Child Welfare InformationSystem (SACWIS) for nearly ten years. Over the years, steps

1 Unfortunately, there are no statistics that provide this information. For source of estimates,see: Casey Family Programs. (2001). Siblings in Out-of-Home Care: An Overview. [Online]http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/nrcfcpp/info_services/siblings.html

have been taken to make the data available for internal reporting,so that performance measures could be tracked. This database isupdated weekly, and gives the current "snapshot" of children incustody. * clarifiy hx data issue Within the past year, OKDHS staffhave begun tracking the following sibling data, including keepinghistorical data:ing the following sibling data, including keeping his-torical data:

] The number of children in OKDHS custody ] The number of children in custody who are part

of a sibling group] The number of siblings who are placed with all of their siblings

(not separated from any)] The percentage of siblings who are all placed together.

The data have been maintained since May, 2004, and distributedto field staff on a monthly basis, along with the names of separatedsiblings. Field staff are encouraged to place siblings together when-ever possible, with emphasis on placing them together as soon aspossible, so that they will not end up separated from each other formany months, and then face the possibility of permanent separa-tion through adoption, due to foster parents, children's attorneys,etc., advocating for keeping them in their separate placements. Between May and December, 2004, all of the sibling measureswere increasing, including the percentage of siblings placed alltogether. These measures peaked at the end of 2004. Beginningin January 2005 there has been a decline in the percentage of sib-lings placed together. The specific reasons have not been identi-fied, but some possible factors may be:

] The number of children in care increased steadily for severalmonths, and may have exceeded the capacity of foster homes.

] Shelters operated above capacity, due to increased numbersof children in custody.

] Siblings who are placed into OKDHS custody by law enforce-ment at shelters are frequently separated from each otherwhen the youngest ones are placed in emergency foster care(EFC). There are conflicting policies (e.g., get the children outof the shelter ASAP vs. keep siblings together) that will need tobe addressed.

OKDHS is in the process of developing diligent search protocol,including training child welfare staff on how they can locate parentsand relatives. A desired outcome of such efforts would be that moresiblings would be placed together with relatives, another importantfeature of family-centered practice.Oklahoma has taken several important steps toward improving itsfamily-centered practice with siblings in out-of-home care, begin-ning with the will and the effort to maintain accurate statistical dataand then use that information to guide policy.

Susan Dougherty is the Information Specialist for the NRCFCPPP and has workedon sibling issues at both the NRC and at Casey Family Programs National Centerfor Resource Family Support, where she guided the 2002 National LeadershipSymposium on Siblings in Out-of-Home Care along with Kathy Barbell, nowActing Vice President for Program Operations at the Child Welfare League ofAmerica. Roland St. John is a Programs Field Representative at the OklahomaDepartment of Human Services and is known informally as the “sibling czar.” Hemaintains sibling data for the Department and participates on the sibling separa-tion committee.

Percentof SiblingsWho AreAllPlaced Together

45.00%

46.00%

47.00%

48.00%

49.00%

50.00%

51.00%

52.00%

5/7/

2004

5/21

/200

4

6/4/

2004

6/18

/200

4

7/2/

2004

7/16

/200

4

7/30

/200

4

8/13

/200

4

8/27

/200

4

9/10

/200

4

9/24

/200

4

10/8

/200

4

10/2

2/20

04

11/5

/200

4

11/1

9/20

04

12/3

/200

4

12/1

7/20

04

12/3

1/20

04

1/14

/200

5

1/28

/200

5

2/11

/200

5

2/25

/200

5

Strengthening the Indian Child Welfare Actby Providing Resources for Families, Tribes & States

by Chey Clifford-Stoltenberg (Gitxsan Nation), MSW

Rachel Kupcho (White Earth Ojibwe), BSW

The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)(P.L. 95-608) serves as one of thestrongest federal child welfare policiesfor American Indian/Alaska Nativechildren and families. Passed in 1978 toaddress the large number of Indianchildren being removed from their fam-ilies and placed in non-Indian homes,ICWA has become an important link tothe survival of both tribes and tribalculture. In fact, Congress stated that“there is no resource that is more vitalto the continued existence and integri-ty of Indian tribes than their children”(25 U.S.C. § 1901).

Overall, ICWA:1 establishes minimum federalrequirements for both the removal andplacement of Indian children involvedin state child custody proceedings whoare enrolled or eligible for enrollmentin a federally recognized tribe2 provides assistance to tribes in theoperation of child and family serviceprograms. The main provisions of thelaw include the following:

o The state must identify Indian chil-dren and then notify both the child'sparents and the child's tribe of theirrights to intervene in state child cus-tody proceedings.

o Tribes can request that a state childcustody proceeding involving anIndian child be transferred to theirtribal court (petition for transfer ofjurisdiction).

o States must follow specific proce-dural requirements for Indian childcustody proceedings that remain instate courts, including tribal inter-vention, standards of proof, andplacement preferences.

While the above-listed items are themain provisions of ICWA, there aremany more requirements and stan-dards the state must follow in a childcustody proceeding involving anIndian child, particularly with regard tothe rights of the tribe and the family.Oftentimes, parents and families whocome into contact with the child wel-

fare system do not fully understandtheir rights. These families may beafraid to ask questions of their case-workers and can feel overwhelmed bythe process. Additionally, AmericanIndian/Alaska Native families do notalways understand their rights underICWA. Without a full understanding ofthese rights, the case can move for-ward quickly leaving the parent(s) feel-ing confused and hopeless.Caseworkers should be able to pro-vide an explanation of parental rightsunder ICWA to their clients; however,they do not always receive adequatetraining with regard to the federal law.

In order to address some of theseissues, the National Indian ChildWelfare Association (NICWA) hasdeveloped several informational docu-ments-an ICWA brochure, a generalchild protective services flowchart, anda glossary of terms frequently used inIndian child welfare. These items aremeant to provide parents and familieswith a starting point for asking ques-tions of their caseworkers and alsoprovide some basic ICWA informationfor them to reference throughout thespan of their case. Although gearedspecifically toward parents and fami-lies, these brochures can also serve asresources for caseworkers and stateadministrators who may have ques-tions about the law.

The ICWA brochure answers such fre-quently asked questions as:1 What is ICWA and why was it

passed?2 How does ICWA protect American

Indian/Alaska Native children andtheir families?

3 Who is covered by ICWA?4 How do I know if my child is eligi-

ble for membership in a tribe?5 What if my child is Indian but is not

a member of a federally recog-nized tribe?

6 What considerations should be

made in an ICWA case?7 Who should you contact if you feel

that your rights under ICWA arebeing ignored?

The Child Protective Services flowchartwalks a parent or family memberthrough a general child welfare case. Itprovides more detail for parents andfamilies on what to expect, includingwhat types of child welfare hearingsthey may encounter. The glossary ofterms, which serves as a companiondocument to the flowchart, providesbasic definitions of words andacronyms that parents/families maycome across during their interactionswith their caseworker and/or thecourts. Overall, these documents serveas a resource that will help the parentor family member feel more skilled atnavigating the child welfare system. Allthree pieces of information can beaccessed by visiting the NICWA web-site (www.nicwa.org) and lookingunder the “Resources” tab.

In addition to the informational docu-ments, NICWA has developed anonline ICWA training course, whichwas designed to provide an explana-tion of the key ICWA provisions in non-legal language. The course presentsthese provisions in the order in which achild welfare worker might encounterthem in an ICWA case. In addition,general information about AmericanIndian/Alaska Native cultures is pro-vided.

Along with an explanation of the law innon-legal language, the course givesthe recommended performance stepsassociated with effective social workpractice. Information is provided bothto support practice and to ensureappropriate case records. After com-pleting this course, learners should beable to do the following:

1 Explain the circumstances that haveshaped Indian child welfare poli-cies

2 Explain the purpose of ICWA 3 Explain principles of good social

work under ICWA and theAdoption and Safe Families Act(ASFA)

4 Use the ICWA performance path tohandle a simulated case situation

More specifically, learners should beable to execute the following skills bytaking the on-line ICWA course: 1 Explain how a child welfare worker

should handle a case involving anIndian child in order to comply withICWA

2 Explain how to handle the out-of-home placement of an Indian child incompliance with both ICWA and ASFA

3 Identify a resource for additional infor-mation about integrating ICWA andASFA

4 Explain the optimum tribal response atvarious stages of an out-of-homeplacement of an Indian child

5 Explain cultural factors to considerwhen handling cases involving Indianchildren and families

6 Identify the rights of all parties when anIndian child is placed outside the home

This course can be used for both learn-ing about the act and as a referencewhile handling an ICWA case. Thecourse is free to NICWA members andemployees of member tribes. The costfor non-members is $50.00. The on-line ICWA course can be accessed byvisiting the NICWA website, clicking onthe “Resources” tab, and selecting“Online ICWA Course.” NICWA is apartner with the NRCFCPPP, providingtraining and technical assistance onbehalf of the NRCFCPPP to tribes andstates.

For more information on this topic, please con-tact Chey Clifford-Stoltenberg, NICWA seniorgovernment affairs associate, at (503) 222-4044 or chey@nicwa.org or Rachel Kupcho,NICWA ICWA specialist, at (503) 222-4044or rachel@nicwa.org.

This up-to-date and comprehensive resource by leaders in child welfare is the first book to reflect theimpact of the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) of 1997. The text serves as a single-source refer-ence for a wide array of professionals who work in children, youth, and family services in the UnitedStates—policymakers, social workers, psychologists, educators, attorneys, guardians ad litem, andfamily court judges—and as a text for students of child welfare practice and policy.

FEATURES INCLUDE:• Organized around ASFA’s guiding principles of well-being, safety and permanency• Focus on evidence-based “best practices”• Case examples integrated throughout• First book to include data from the first round of National CFSRs

Topics discussed include the latest on family preservation services; family support services, the integra-tion of family-centered practices in child welfare, prevention of child abuse and neglect and child pro-tective services; risk and resilience in child development; engaging families; connecting families withpublic and community resources; health and mental health care needs of children and adolescents;domestic violence; substance abuse in the family; ; children with disabilities; and runaway and home-less youth. The contributors also explore issues pertaining to foster care and adoption, including a focuson permanency planning for children and youth and the need to provide services that are individualizedand culturally and spiritually responsive to clients. A review of salient systemic issues in the field of chil-dren, youth, and family services completes out this collection.

What colleagues are saying:

“Mallon and Hess have gathered the best minds and most current thinking shaping contemporary childwelfare to produce a comprehensive and outstanding collection that should be in the hands of every practitioner, educator, policymaker, and researcher in the field.”

– Joan Laird, Smith College School for Social Work

“The editors have done a remarkable job bringing together scholars and practitioners from all over thecountry to share their child welfare knowledge and expertise in a well-organized and easy-to-read vol-ume. There is no doubt that this book makes an enormous contribution to the existing literature.”

– Hilda Rivera, Hunter College School of Social Work

Gerald P. Mallon is a professor and executive director of the National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency Planning at the Hunter College School of Social Work. He is the authoror editor of numerous books and professionals articles.

Peg McCartt Hess is a consultant on child welfare practice and formerly professor at the University ofSouth Carolina College of Social Work and the Columbia University School of Social Work. She is theauthor or editor of many works, including Nurturing the One, Supporting the Many: The Center for FamilyLife in Sunset Park, Brooklyn (with Brenda McGowan and Michael Botsko

CHILD WELFAREfor the Twenty-First Century

A Handbook of Practices, Policies, and Programs

Edited by Gerald P. Mallon and Peg McCartt HessPublished by: Columbia University Presshttp://www.columbia.edu/cu/cup/catalog/data/023113/0231130724.htm

TO ORDER: Call Columbia University Press at (800) 944-8648 or (914) 591-9111or visit their Website, www.columbia.edu/cu/cup (ISBN: 0-231-13072-4)

Many factorshave come together to make subsidized guardian-ship a more valued part ofthe permanency continuumfor families. Until recently,most states had only twooptions for securing perma-

nency for children: reunification and adoption. Yet theincreasing reliance on relatives as caregivers has ledto a reexamination of how legal guardianship - withadequate supports - can provide the permanency andstability needed for children who can not return home.

Increasingly, subsidized guardianship - like reunifica-tion and adoption -- is recognized as a way to allowchildren to achieve the permanent family connectionsthey deserve while preserving existing family ties. Thisoption has particular importance to relatives, but isequally as compelling for many children living withunrelated caregivers. This is particularly true when aparent's disability plays a role in the child beingplaced out of the home, when termination of parentalrights runs counter to a family's cultural norms, or whena young person does not want to be adopted by acaregiver who wants to make a permanent commit-ment to them.

So, what does this have to dowith family-centered practice?Isn't subsidized guardianship just a program, andaren't the only things we need to worry about financialand legal in nature?

Naturally, our answer is no. In fact, we believe thatwhen agencies make subsidized guardianship avail-able to children who can not return home or be adopt-ed, it provides a unique opportunity to promote valuesand principles that are at the heart of family-centeredpractice. In fact, the questions state and local agen-cies confront as they integrate subsidized guardian-ship into their permanency framework are the verysame questions that crop up in efforts to promote fam-ily-centered reunification and adoption.

They are:

❏ How are families involved in decision makingabout which permanency options are the most appro-priate for them?oHow can agencies and the courts help familiesunderstand all the permanency options available andthe implications of each?❏ Have agencies and the courts sought out andassessed possible permanency resources throughoutthe extended family network?❏ How are the cultural norms of afamily taken into account whendiscussing the most appropriatepermanency options?❏ Are young people involved tothe fullest extent possible in deter-mining the most appropriate routeto permanency?❏ Have we sought out all avail-able permanency options for olderyouth, particularly those who maynot want to be adopted?❏ How can children maintainhealthy ties with their birth parents, when appropriate

We began the work of the National Collaboration toPromote Permanency through SubsidizedGuardianship four years ago as a way to facilitateresources and information about how subsidizedguardianship can improve permanency outcomes forchildren. Through this work, we not only help the childwelfare community learn about subsidized guardian-ship, but also how to promote more family-centeredpractice to ensure that subsidized guardianship is usedwisely and in ways that support each family's uniquecircumstances. Many of the resources that have beendeveloped build explicitly on family-centered prac-tices that we believe make a positive difference in afamily's child welfare experience.

Here is a sampling of how family centered practicehas been integrated into our work on subsidizedguardianship:

1... Comparison Charts of Permanency Options -when jurisdictions build new guardianship initiatives orexpand existing ones, we strongly advocate the use ofcharts or other materials that provide concrete infor-

Subsidized Guardianship:What Does It Have to do with

Family-Centered Practice?by Jennifer Miller

mation about the similarities and differencesbetween permanency options. These charts are aninvaluable resource for families who are consideringvarious permanency options and may be confrontedwith myths or misinformation about what theseoptions mean. For instance, we often talk to familieswho do not want to adopt or youth who do not wantto be adopted because they think they'll have tochange the child's last name to their own. Resourcesshould dispel these types of myths so that families,together with their caseworkers and other partners,can weigh the pros and cons of various options todecide which is best for the children in their care. Wealso encourage those developing the resources toask families to review them before they become finalso that jargon, acronyms, overly legalistic and cultur-ally insensitive material can be reframed. We alsoencourage that they be translated into languagesthat are understood by families in their local jurisdic-tions.

2... Family Team Decision Making - families are mostlikely to make wise and well informed permanencydecisions if all the players involved in the child wel-fare process are working together toward a commongoal. Family group conferencing and/or familyteam decision making allows these partners to cometogether to articulate these goals and to ensure fam-ily partnership in the decision making process. Manyfamilies with whom we've spoken say their attorneytold them one thing about guardianship, their case-worker told them another, and the neighbor downthe street had a completely different take. Amongother things, team meetings provide an opportunityfor the major players to get together and provide aconsistent and coherent message to families aboutpermanency options.

3... Concurrent Planning - concurrent planning is afamily-centered practice that recognizes that fami-lies can work toward one permanency goal whilealso preparing for the possibility that another perma-nency goal may need to come into play later in theprocess. Concurrent planning helps birth parentsunderstand the alternatives if they don't followthrough with the expectations of the case plan, whilealso preparing caregivers for the possibility that theycan become a permanent resource for the child.Together with the practice of full disclosure, concur-rent planning can help all parties deal with the com-plex and fluid nature of the permanency process sothey can be prepared when faced with the ultimatedecision of what is in the best interests of the child.

4... Youth Partnerships - subsidized guardianship is aparticularly important option for older youth who donot want to be adopted because of their continuedattachment to birth parents or their desire to keepfamilial relationships the way the naturally are (i.e.

not wanting grandma to become mom). Family-centered practice not only means integral involve-ment of adult members of the family, but also youngpeople who need both permanent connections andindependent living skills. Permanency outcomes willbe stronger for these young people when profes-sionals take the time and make the commitment tolistening to young people and ensuring their hopesand desires about permanency are the major factorin permanency decisions.

Other family-centered practices are important toconsider when integrating subsidized guardianshipinto the permanency continuum. For instance, visita-tion agreements can help children stay connected totheir families of origin even after a guardianshiporder has been signed. Agencies can also supportkinship caregivers - either directly or through com-munity partnerships -- to allow healthy family con-nections while also maintaining boundaries betweenchildren and parents when safety is an issue. Courtscan also hold agencies accountable for permanen-cy decisions that are made with full family involve-ment.

Many of the ideas and resources discussed abovecan be found in more detail in a recent publication,Using Subsidized Guardianship to ImprovePermanency Outcomes for Children, published joint-ly by Cornerstone Consulting Group and theChildren's Defense Fund. For a copy of this publica-tion or to find out more about the NationalCollaboration to Promote Permanency throughSubsidized Guardianship, send me an e-mail atjmiller@cornerstone.to or call me at (401)884-1546.

JENNIFER MILLER has fifteen years of experience analyz-ing and advocating for improved policies and programsfor children, youth and families. At CornerstoneConsulting Group, Jennifer is primarily responsible for agrowing focus on innovations in child welfare policy andpractice. She coordinates the “National Collaboration forPermanency through SubsidizedGuardianship,” a multi-yearproject aimed at promoting sub-sidized guardianship as a valuedpart of the continuum of perma-nency options for children.Examples of other work in thechild welfare arena includesleading the child welfare work-force agenda, which is part ofCornerstone's overall manage-ment of the Annie E. CaseyFoundation's Human ServicesWorkforce Initiative, develop-ment of training materials on per-manency decision making, andanalyses of the federal child wel-fare waivers.

Resources for Permanency Planning Today

CirriculumPromoting Placement Stability and Permanency through Caseworker/Child Visits

Through the Child and Family Service Review process, it was found that there is a significant positive relationship between caseworker visits withchildren and a number of other indicators for safety, permanency and well-being. This curriculum was developed by the NRCFCPPP in response

to that clear indication that the importance of caseworker visits to children in foster care is positively correlated to outcomes for children and fami-lies. This one day curriculum is intended to be part of either pre-service or ongoing training within a child welfare organization. It builds on the

concepts of attachment, strengths-based assessment and planning, child and youth development, effective interviewing and organizing contacts.It allows caseworkers to practice some of the skills through role plays and preparatory activities. The seven developmental checklists are tools for

caseworkers to use as they begin to more intentionally structure their visits to focus on safety, permanence, and well being.http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/nrcfcpp/info_services/family-child-visiting.html

GuidelinesTraining System Assessment Guide for Child Welfare Agencies

The purpose of this Guide from the National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement is to provide performance prin-ciples, related indicators and tools that a child welfare agency can use to assess the extent to which its training system contains integratedcomponents necessary to positively impact children's safety, well-being, and permanency. The aim is for a strengths-based, participatory

assessment process, with broad involvement of internal and external stakeholders.http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/helpkids/pubstext/Trainingassess.htm

Improving Outcomes for Older Youth: What Judges and Attorneys Need to KnowThe National Child Welfare Resource Center for Youth Development in conjunction with American Bar Association Center on Children and the

Law have released this comprehensive guide to federal legislation for youth in out-of-home care for use by judges, attorneys, and youthadvocates around the country. The guide covers issues in housing, health, education, employment, undocumented youth, parenting youth,

and tribal youth, among others.http://www.nrcys.ou.edu/nrcyd/publications.htm

Visitation/Family Access GuidelinesOlmstead County, Minnesota has created this guide to family visiting as part of its Child and Family Service Review Program Improvement

Plan. The Guidelines are an opportunity for social workers to enhance their practice with children and families and include a job aid to helpin the documentation of visits, family access, and parenting time.http://egov3.olmstedcounty.com/olmsted/index.php?loc=196

ManualsNew and Revised Child Abuse and Neglect User Manuals

The Children's Bureau has released three new manuals that offer a foundation for understanding child maltreatment and the roles and responsi-bilities of various practitioners in its prevention, identification, investigation, and treatment. They are: A Coordinated Response to Child Abuse and

Neglect: The Foundation for Practice; The Role of Educators in Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect; Child Protection inFamilies Experiencing Domestic Violence; and Supervising Child Protective Services Caseworkers.

http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/profess/tools/usermanual.cfm

VideosFoster Parents Speak: Crossing Bridges and Fostering Change,

This 20-minute video from NYS Citizens' Coalition for Children, Inc., explores foster parenting today through the experiences and insights of foster fami-lies. It has received rave reviews from child welfare professionals and foster parents. It meets an important need and will be a valuable training tool for

foster parents, birth parents, caseworkers, administrators, legal professionals, community members, and advocates.http://www.nysccc.org/Video/FParentsspeak.html

THE TRANSITION YEARS:Serving Current & Former

Foster Youth , Ages 18 to 21The National Resource Center for YouthDevelopment (NRCYD) conducted a survey ofstates and agencies to learn how services arecurrently being delivered to older youth. Thismonograph describes some available servic-es, and some current barriers to serving thispopulation. The monograph is structuredaround the four core principles that NRCYDmaintains are critical for the successful deliv-ery of services to youth; youth development,collaboration, permanent connections, andcultural competence. In addition, the literatureaddressing the needs of older youth aging outof care has been reviewed. Information oncurrent trends among the general adolescentpopulation today is presented to help usunderstand this age group in light of their cul-tural context and age-group norms.http://www.nrcys.ou.edu/NRCYD/publications.htm

ISSUE BRIEFS from theNational Data Analysis System

The National Data and Analysis System(NDAS) at the Child Welfare League ofAmerica is generating a series of Issue Briefsto highlight a wide range of child welfare top-ics. The most recent Issue Brief focuses on theMultiethnic Placement Act (MEPA). MEPA wasenacted in 1994 to prevent children of colorfrom remaining in foster care because adop-tive parents of their own race are not avail-able. The data show that AfricanAmerican/black children stay in foster carelonger compared to their white peers. In addi-tion, it takes longer from termination ofparental rights to the finalization of adoption.Research shows that if adoptive parents main-tain an open dialog about the differencesbetween their race and their child's race, theirchildren have better outcomes. After loggingonto the site as a guest, select “Publications”to go to the Issue Briefs.http://ndas.cwla.org/research_info/publications/

RESEARCH TO PRACTICEAnnotated Bibliographies

The Child Welfare League of America'sResearch to Practice initiative compiles, on anongoing basis, annotated bibliographies onvarious child welfare topics and related fields.The bibliographies are as inclusive anddetailed as possible. Most entries include adescription of the project or program, location,number served, and purpose of the program;how the study was conducted, who wasinvolved, what instruments were used, and therates of and reasons for attrition; and out-comes of the study and possible implicationsfor the field. They also include evaluations tohelp the reader evaluate the usefulness of thefull publication. This section highlights, forinstance, readability, the significance for prac-tice, and the applicability of the results.http://www.cwla.org/programs/r2p/biblio.htm

SUMMARY OF THE RESULTSof the 2001-2004

Child & Family Services ReviewsThe Department of Health and Human Serviceshas released a report on the Child and FamilyService Reviews that includes information for all50 States, D.C., and Puerto Rico. This latest reporton the CFSRs includes information on State-levelanalyses and case-level analyses. State-leveldata show how many States were in substantialconformity with the outcomes and indicators,

common challenges faced by the States, andrelationships between systemic factors and out-comes for safety, permanency, and well-being.Case-level analyses provide information oncases involving children in foster care and in-home cases reviewed across all States. Analysesalso examined key characteristics of these cases(e.g., age of child, race, caseworker visits), aswell as the relationships between these charac-teristics and outcomes and indicators.http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwrp/results.htm

FOSTER CARE ADOPTIONIN THE UNITED STATES:

A State-by-State Analysis ofBarriers & Promising Approaches

This Urban Institute analysis is the first to identifycommon barriers to finding adoptive families forchildren in foster care, as well as promisingpractices to overcome them. More than 90% ofstates report difficulty identifying adoptive fami-lies for children in foster care, especially familiesfor older children, those with special needs, andHispanic and African-American children. 88%of states are working to improve their child wel-fare case management systems, including reor-ganizing staff, creating specialized adoptiondivisions and positions, and providing addition-al training on adoption.http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=411108

REPORTS REVEALPromising Strategies

to Strengthen Tribal FamiliesThe Administration for Children and Familieshas released four reports on the PromotingSafe and Stable Families program. The reportsreveal ways that greater state flexibility in fed-eral funding could strengthen the abilities oftribal families to care for their children. Thereports also highlight promising practicestribes have adopted to meet unique chal-lenges they face in managing services tostrengthen tribal families, children, and youth.http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/strengthen/imple_prom/index.html

Best of Weekly Update

The NRCFCPP publishesan electronic newslettereach week that keepssubscribers informed

about new Internet-basedpublications, conferences &

other events of interestto child welfare professionals.This section lists some of thevaluable resources we have

highlighted over the pastfew months.