Defining permanency is important In the child welfare system, the word “permanency” is used to describe a legally permanent, stable living situation — ideally one in which family, culture, and community connections are preserved. Safe reunification with parents always is … Read More
Fostercare
The Hidden Realities of Post-Adoption Estrangement: Why Post-Permanency Support Must Prioritize Relationships
Adoption and guardianship are often celebrated as a joyful conclusion to a child’s journey through the child welfare system. But neither adoption nor guardianship is the finish line it is the beginning of a lifelong relationship. While legal permanency marks … Read More
Family Court Proceedings in Baton Rouge
I. INTRODUCTION Having completed my bachelor’s degree in law at Aix-Marseille University, I am currently pursuing a dual degree: a Master’s in international and Comparative Private Law at Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University and an LL.M. in Comparative Law at … Read More
Spark the Conversation
Purpose of this guide This guide is designed to help child welfare professionals lead conversations while watching WhenWe Have Each Other: Teen Adoption Stories. It offers practical strategies to spark reflection, encourageopen discussion, normalize mixed feelings, and center youth voice … Read More
Adoption and Guardianship for Children in Kinship Foster Care
The laws dictating how adoption and guardianship are granted, by which court, and what those options entail are developed at the state and tribal levels, so the intricacies for obtaining these legal relationships differ. The Brief The brief provides general … Read More
Having the Normalcy Conversation: Sample Agenda
This document offers a structured agenda and facilitation guidance for convening stakeholders to discuss how to implement normalcy and the Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard (RPPS) in child welfare practice. It is designed to support meaningful dialogue, shared understanding, and … Read More
Having the Normalcy Conversation: A Guide for Discussing Developmentally Appropriate Services for Children, Youth, and Young Adults in Foster Care
Introduction State child welfare agencies are responsible for promoting the healthy development and well-being of the children and youth in their care. To achieve healthy development, children and youth in foster care need to be involved in normal and developmentally … Read More
Identifying Suicide Risk in Foster Care: Screening Practices and Policy Implications Tracy W. Halasz; Alexandra Armstrong; Jeremy Jordan; Brigit VanGraafeiland
With suicide being the second leading cause of death in adolescents, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), and the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) in 2021 declared a mental health emergency for adolescents … Read More
ACF Expands Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder for At-Risk Families
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through its Administration for Children and Families (ACF) today announced that three U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) have been added as prevention services eligible for funding … Read More
Two Thirds of Foster Youth Remain Stably Housed Through Age 21
A new Child Trends analysis of the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) shows that two thirds of foster youth remain stably housed through age 21. Every three years, a new cohort of NYTD respondents is surveyed at age 17, … Read More