ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Seneca Center, and the original EMQ/Catholic Community Services of Western Washington.

Allison Caroll (Family Connections Coordinator) at CASA

of Orange County Kim Parr (Lifelong Connections Coordinator) at CASA

Voices for Children, Boulder. Christina Martinez (Program Director) CASA of Adams

and Broomfield Susan Bert, Diligent Search coordinator for El Paso

County DHS/Center on Fathering

OBJECTIVES

Why do this work? Permanency versus placement Myths and Mindsets How is it done: Six Steps to Finding Family CASA PPR Life Long Links Program PASSION & PERSEVERANCE

“The typical child has 100 -300 living relatives.”

Kevin Campbell, Lighting the Fire of Urgency

WHY CREATE LIFE LONG CONNECTIONS?

#1: It’s the law FEDERAL LAW and STATE LAW: Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of

2008: “within 30 days after the removal of a child from the custody of the

parent or parents of the child, the State shall exercise due diligence to identify and provide notice to all adult grandparents and other adult relatives of the child (including any other adult relatives suggested by the parents)”

FAMILIES HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW

The Adoption and Safe Families Act (Public Law 105-89) requires concurrent planning on every case: early concurrent planning saves time, costs and conflict (i.e., relatives “suddenly surfacing” at the end of a case).

STATE and FEDERAL LAWS recognize the importance of

sibling relationships, stability and permanence. Family is the first choice for placement of children.

INTERNATIONAL LAW

ARTICLE #23 of the Geneva Convention: “The primary need inevitably cited by the

families of missing persons is the right to know what happened to their relatives.”

Being connected to family is a human right. Lessons from the Red Cross:

“it is possible to respond to a crisis while

preserving and expanding … connections that can lead to a restoration of self-sufficiency”

#2 THE STATE MAKES A LOUSY PARENT Foster care is meant to be a temporary haven for

children living in unsafe conditions. Each year 20,000 young people between the ages of 18

and 21 must leave the foster care system when they become legal adults. Many are left without any support, family connections, or the skills they need to succeed in life.

YOUTH WHO AGE OUT OF CARE…

have trouble staying in school, finding stable housing, supporting themselves financially, and securing medical services. Suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder at twice the rate of U.S.

war veterans One in four incarcerated within the first two years Over one fifth will become homeless at some time after age 18. only 58% had a high school degree at 19 compared to 87% of a

national comparison group; less than 3% earned college degrees. At 24, fewer than half earning a living wage, and many

experience food insecurity 89% of the mothers received government benefits

#3 KIDS DO BETTER WITH FAMILY “KIN” DEFINED: Relatives or persons ascribed by the family as having a family-like relationship (cultural values and continuity of significant relationships). Care in relative placement is almost twice as stable as care with non-relatives. “Staff using these practices have found that when a youth gained a connection with family, critical incident reports tended to decrease…Having a family connection was as urgent as the need for safety.” (Six Steps to Finding a Family)

Families are the most normative setting for raising a child Report feeling loved, less likely to run away, fewer

physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral challenges. Cultural continuity and contact with extended family Safety: non-kin placements were twice as likely to have a

confirmed report of maltreatment.

UNRESOLVED GRIEF AND BELONGING Multiple losses and separations “Many of the issues related to behavioral difficulties … are the result of the unresolved grieving process…Too frequently, children are viewed as disturbed rather than grieving.” (Fahlberg, 1991; Rycus & Hughes, 1998, cited in Henry, 2005).

In a study conducted by the Maine Dept. of Human Resources Task force on adoption, 95% of adoptees surveyed expressed a desire to be found by their birth parents (Freundlich, 1998).

DISCUSSION:

What struck you most about the video? How might Kalani’s life have been different if family

finding had been a priority throughout his case?

What is the difference between placement and permanency and why is this important?

PERMANENCY VERSUS PLACEMENT

A system-wide paradigm shift….

• Built • Enduring • Physical, emotional, social, spiritual • History, traditions, heritage • Belonging • Network/Team for life

STEP ONE: PREPARATION

This step is on-going throughout the process. Preparing ourselves Preparing others Preparing youth Preparing newly found family and connections Goal: Shared understanding of the goals and process (*KEY COMPONENT) What tasks will be completed (and by whom)? Questions and fears are addressed and the child is prepared as appropriate.

STEP TWO: DISCOVERY

This step continues throughout the case • Mine the case file and other documents • Complete public records search • Interview holders of information (including the child in most

cases) Rule in, don’t rule out. Goal: Identify a large pool of family members (40 minimum) and significant adults who have loved or could love the child. Success is achieved when the family is extensively known.

Great-GP and GP Maternal

Paternal

Parent s/Aunts/Unlces

Siblings

Peers and Kin-like

STEP THREE: ENGAGEMENT The heart and soul of the practice

• Determine interest in support • Individualized strategies (matched to child’s needs)

• See “Permanency Pact” • Safety planning, background checks, ICPCs • Invitations to join the team. • Preparation for contact and contact supported Goal: Creation of an individualized strategy for each potential connection and establishment of regular communication and participation in the case.

STEP FOUR: PLANNING

• Include family and important others in decision-making • Identify permanency options • Clarify roles and responsibilities of family members • Value BOTH placement AND enduring support • Challenges identified and solutions created. The role of professionals should begin to shift from management of details to coaching the family to develop the skills they need. Goal: A functioning team composed of the youth, family, professionals, and important others explores options and takes responsibility for finding permanency and planning for the successful future of the child.

STEP FIVE: DECISION-MAKING

• On-going monitoring of progress and contingency plans. • Adequate level of enduring support • Important relationships are being supported • Recommendation of permanency plan and back-up plans (if

Plan A fails, what is Plan B?) Are there at least 3 options? • Potential challenges identified and plans for support made Goal: The team has developed an individualized plan for legal and emotional permanency with a timeline for completion

STEP SIX: ON-GOING SUPPORT

Prepare family for transition to legal permanence Long-term supports and relationships are in place and

participating Emphasis placed on natural and community supports (not

services) that are the most normative and enduring.

Goal: The child, family, and team have a plan to support the young person and her family, has achieved legal or non-legal commitments, and has organized the necessary resources to maintain permanency.

SHIFTS IN PRACTICE

Broad definition of family and thinking outside the

box

Search on-going, circumstances can change for

parents and relatives

Concurrent planning and ENGAGEMENT is crucial

THE LIFE LONG LINKS PROGRAM: HOW CASA OF THE PIKES PEAK REGION IMPLEMENTED A FAMILY FINDING PROGRAM Began with a pilot headed by a volunteer.

Doing the work was useful Staff leadership was needed

Training of a cadre of “specialists” Creation of curriculum Staff available for support Assigned to cases needing family finding work

Brief in-service training offered for other volunteers

Challenges: Confusion about roles and ownership

COMMUNITY PREPARATION

• Community training and networking • On-going discussion with DHS and other key players • Formation of Best Practice Court sub-committee

Serendipity: Compatible with DHS reform efforts

CHALLENGES: Changing practice as usual Engagement of found family Shifting to connections rather than placement

Always asking “appropriate for what?”

NOW AND THE FUTURE:

3 hours LLL in core training

“it’s just what we do.”

Encouraging volunteers to do family finding work on their own cases

Specialist: own case, mentor and coach, provide limited support

Adding life long links to regular reporting and data collection/internal processes (intake, reports, maps)

On-going community training and in-service workshops to be offered

Revisions and adaptation as needed.

CHALLENGE: TRACKING OUTCOMES

FUNDING TO DO FAMILY FINDING

Grants Contract with Human Services RFP to contract out some of the family finding work Separate pool of volunteers who do family finding only CHALLENGE: VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND MESSAGING

SNAP SHOT OF RESULTS: Number of Specialists Trained Total children served (several failed adoptions) Connections found ranged from 4 to over 40 Less restrictive placements some with terminated bio parent • Discovery and contact with extended family • Strengthened sibling relationships/maintained or placed together • Stability (school moves, placement moves) • Biological parents located (one mom participates in therapy even

though placement is not an option) • Family tree information provided (one child received baby photos from

his Aunt) • Support for reunified parent

CORE BELIEFS

Every child has a family. Everyone deserves the dignity of knowing who their family members are.

Loneliness can be devastating and particularly felt by foster children.

Youth who have connections to family and other important people tend to have improved school performance, behavior, and more hopefulness in their lives.

Meaningful connections to family help a child develop a sense of belonging

The single most identified factor that leads to positive outcomes for children is meaningful connections and lifelong relationships.

Doing the work to find family and successfully connect them with the child is OUR RESPONSIBILITY. Be assertive. Insist on connections not just any placement that is found.

HIGH HOPES FOR ALL CHILDREN

BEGIN When a child comes into placement CONTINUE Throughout the case pursuing natural supports and connections COMPLETED

When permanency is achieved (more than placement)

KEY FACTORS:

• Confidentiality • Permissions • Communication • Safety

OVERCOMING RESISTANCE

The parent doesn’t want us to look for family. We’ve already done this. There are no appropriate relatives (the apple doesn’t fall far from

the tree). Teenagers don’t want family Trained foster parents are better than strangers Including family will jeopardize stability/we need stability first

RECONSIDER WHAT IS POSSIBLE…

Average youth was:

African American Male 17 years old Entered care at age 3, in

care for 14 years Parental rights

terminated at age 10 Legally free without

permanence for 7 years

Cook County (Illinois). Orange = contacted, blue = visiting, green = found

AN EARLY SPRING!!

KEEP ALL POSSIBILITIES ALIVE

Individual strategies See Permanency Pact: 45 ways to support a child Tools for engagement: address book, connections map, photos, YOU Perseverance and Accountability

REFERENCES INCLUDED AS A SEPARATE HANDOUT

PLEASE LOOK VIDEO

Thank YOU!

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REFERENCES AND RESOURCES

USEFUL WEBSITES: Information and helpful materials on SENECA Center website: www.senecacenter.org http://www.senecacenter.org/familyconnectedness

The California Permanency for Youth Project (CPYP) and Seneca’s Center for Family Finding and Youth Connectedness (CFFYC, founded by Kevin Campbell) merged and are now the National Institute for Permanent Family Connectedness (NIPFC).

Three Really Excellent Guides: Family Search and Engagement: A Comprehensive Practice Guide (EMQ Families First) http://www.emqff.org/press/docs/FSE_guide.pdf Six Steps to Find a Family (National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections) http://www.nrcpfc.org/downloads/SixSteps.pdf Child Focus, Making Relative Search Happen, A Guide to Finding and Involving Relatives at Every Stage of the Child Welfare Process. http://childfocuspartners.com/wp-content/uploads/RelativeSearchGuide10-15.pdf OTHER RESOURCES: Permanency Pacts: Life-long Kin-like Connections between a youth and a supportive adult: http://www.nrcyd.ou.edu/publication-db/documents/permanency-pact.pdf Information on Ecomaps: http://routledgesw.com/sanchez/engage/mappingTheCase Connectedness Mapping Training Power Point www.emqff.org/press/docs/emq-cmt.ppt Child Trends Research Brief: Bringing Family to the Table: Tips and Techniques for Effective Family Engagement http://www.childtrends.org/Files/Child_Trends-2011_12_2011_RB_FamilytoTable.pdf Child Trends Research Brief: Piecing Together the Puzzle: Tips and Techniques for Effective Discovery http://www.childtrends.org/Files/Child_Trends-2011_12_01_RB_FamilyFindingTips.pdf Life books: http://www.adoptionlifebook.com/ http://www.ifapa.org/resources/IFAPA_Lifebook_Pages.asp Pennsylvania child welfare resource center, Family Finding Curriculum http://www.pacwcbt.pitt.edu/curriculum/207FamilyFindingSeriesD1-2.htm

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ARTICLES:

National CASA, The Judge’s Page Newsletter, November 2011. A Critical Dependency Court Resource: Relative Placements. Links to articles and resources: http://www.casaforchildren.org/site/c.mtJSJ7MPIsE/b.5332551/k.71F5/Judges_Page_Newsletter.htm

Experience of grief and loss: Henry, Darla L., The 3-5-7 model: preparing children for Permanency. http://humanservices.ucdavis.edu/academy/pdf/The357model.pdf Legacy Project Final Report; http://library.childwelfare.gov/cwig/ws/library/docs/gateway/Record?rpp=10&upp=0&m=1&w=+NATIVE%28%27recno%3D48209%27%29&r=1 Hope for the future increases stability (see Project UPLIFT in Colorado). http://www.childwelfare.gov/permanency/special/youths/uplift.cfm). Courtney, M. et al. (2005). Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth http://www.chapinhall.org/research/report/midwest-evaluation-adult-functioning-former-foster-youth); Courtney, M. 2005, Youth Aging out of foster care, Policy Brief http://www.transad.pop.upenn.edu/downloads/courtney--foster%20care.pdf The foster care alumni study, http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/casey/alumnistudies/) Jim Casey Youth Opportunity Initiative (2007), Time for Reform: Aging Out and On Their Own. http://www.pewtrusts.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/Reports/Foster_care_reform/Kids_are_Waiting_TimeforReform0307.pdf) (See also CLASP Article “Is Kinship Care Good for Kids?” Appendix, p. 118 and Zinn et al. (2006) “A Study of Placement Stability in Illinois” retrieved http://www.chapinhall.org/research/report/study-placement-stability-illinois) WORKING WITH FAMILIES National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections: Shared Planning and Decision- Making http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/nrcfcpp/fewpt/shared_planning_decision_making.htm

Child and Family Team Toolkit http://www.ncdhhs.gov/mhddsas/services/serviceschildfamily/collaboration/childfamilyteamtoolkit-all7-09.pdf The Collaborative Toolkit http://working.ocfc.andculture.net/assets/files/list-213/file-230.pdf