Concurrent Planning Introduction 1. Introduction · PDF fileHe does not have a high school...

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Concurrent Planning Introduction

1. Introduction

1.1 California Common Core 3.0

Notes:


1.2 Welcome

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Welcome to the eLearning course, Concurrent Planning Introduction. This course is part of the Common Core 3.0 Engagement Block.

1.3 Navigation


Notes:

Audio Narration:

Use the PREVIOUS and NEXT buttons to move through the course. You can also skip to individual screens by clicking the screen title in the Menu. You can read the audio transcript for each screen by clicking Transcript. You will find several useful handouts by clicking Resources. This course should take about 90 minutes to complete.

1.4 Introduction

Notes:

Audio Narration:

What we know when children in the child welfare system have permanency is the foundation for concurrent planning. Permanency planning begins at the time of removal and considers all reasonable options for attaining permanent families for children in the foster care system. It is designed to ensure that children exit temporary care as soon as possible and that they do not re-enter the foster care system in the future.


1.5 About This Course

Notes:

Audio Narration:

This online course is designed to introduce you to the child welfare practice of concurrent planning. In this course, you’ll gain a better understanding about the process of concurrent planning. You’ll learn about the benefits of permanency for children and the permanency goals for reunification, adoption and guardianship. You’ll also learn about the purpose and principles of concurrent planning in a child welfare context. Finally, you’ll learn about concurrent planning in action including family finding, legal connections and permanency connections.


1.6 Learning Objectives

Notes:

Audio Narration:

At the completion of this module, you will be able to:

Identify the benefits of permanency;

Distinguish between legal permanency and permanent connections;

Identify the permanency goals of reunification, adoption and guardianship;

Describe the integral role of concurrent planning in promoting permanency;

Identify strategies to facilitate permanency for older children, youth and young adults;

Describe the importance of documenting family finding and permanency connections;

Identify the principles of concurrent planning; and

Identify the key steps for successful concurrent planning.

Take a moment and identify which of the objectives holds potential for new information for you.


1.7 Values

Notes:

Audio Narration:

The process of concurrent planning is a critical element of permanency and permanent connections for children, youth and young adults involved with the child welfare system. Developing a concurrent plan with a family using research-based strategies to identify permanent connections will help children to have more successful outcomes and increased time in permanent homes. Developing and implementing concurrent planning practice is responsive to federal and, in some cases, state law.


2. Permanency

2.1 Permanency for Children

Notes:

Audio Narration:

In this topic, we’ll focus on a child’s need for permanency and permanency planning.


2.2 A Reunification Scenario

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Imagine a 6-year-old child, Max, who has been brought into care because he had been abused by his mother. His mother has a long history of substance use and mental health challenges. Max’s father is deceased. Prior to the 1997 Adoptions and Safe Families Act, Max may have gone into foster care with a reunification plan, not achieved reunification, and remained in foster care until the age of 18. Max’s foster care journey may have been anywhere from 1 to 30 placements. Placements could have included:

Relatives who were willing to have Max, but at age 9, when Max’s behaviors became too difficult to manage, requested he be moved;

Foster parents who asked that Max be moved after two weeks;

Specialized foster care parents who have Max for three years, but ask for Max to be moved because the foster parents are getting a divorce;

A group home placement for 18 months; and

A hospitalization for a suicide attempt.

Max returns to foster care, but his placements only last for months at a time. At age 18, Max ages out of the foster care system. He does not have a high school diploma, lives with friends and is occasionally homeless.


2.3 A Better Reunification Scenario

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Now imagine Max has come into care at age 6. In today’s child welfare practice, a reunification plan was set in place, and an alternate concurrent plan was set up for Max to be adopted by his paternal aunt. The social worker engaged the mother and made reasonable efforts to assist the mother in meeting the case goal of reunification. The social worker has practiced family finding and full disclosure with the mother, aunt and Max about the primary plan and the alternate permanency plan should the mother be unable or unwilling to make the changes needed to keep Max safe at home.

If the mother can safely parent Max, Max will go home. If not, the paternal aunt will become Max’s legal parent through adoption. Within a year, the social worker recommended that Max be adopted by his aunt. Max’s aunt and biological mother agreed that Max will visit his biological mother twice a year, to support Max’s successful bonding with the aunt.


2.4 Permanency Outcomes

Notes:

Audio Narration:

We know from research that a stable environment leads to better outcomes for children.

Click each item to learn more.

Permanency: Children in the child welfare system have more successful outcomes when they have been raised in stable and safe environments. Studies have found that children were more likely to have ratings of “excellent” well-being with permanent caregivers, lower drop out rates, more school stability, and were less likely to be in juvenile detention facilities.

Lack of Permanency: Children and youth who leave the child welfare system without permanency have poorer outcomes such as the lack of high school diplomas, high unemployment, homelessness and housing instability. They may also suffer from significant health and medical problems, substance abuse and early child bearing. As a social worker, you can significantly help to mitigate these outcomes by developing plans that will help children and youth have legal and emotional permanency.


Permanency (Slide Layer)

Lack of Permanency (Slide Layer)


2.5 Legal Permanency: Preferred Order

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Legal permanency options were established in order of priority as part of the Adoptions and Safe Families Act (AFSA). Reunification with birth parents is always the preferred legal permanency option if there is reason to believe that the parent is able and capable of providing a safe and stable home for their child in the future. Adoption is preferred next but it should be adoption that has both the elements of emotional permanency and legal permanency.

California recognizes the importance of kin relationships and how hard adoption can be on changing family roles. Legal permanency with a relative is a recognized legal preferred permanency option and should be explored particularly with kin in seeking a permanent home for a child.


2.6 Permanency Planning

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Permanency planning begins at the time of removal and involves a set of goal directed activities designed to ensure that children exit temporary care as soon as possible and that they do not re-enter the foster care system in the future. For a child’s safety and well-being to be complete, they must have emotional and legal permanency as soon as possible. Permanency planning acknowledges that children need connection with their biological family even if they will not be raised by that family.

Click each element of permanency to learn more.

Emotional Permanency: Emotional permanency, also known as relational permanency, refers to a safe and secure reciprocal relationship that provides love and is in the context of a broad network of connections able to support the physical, emotional, social, cognitive and spiritual development and well-being of the child. Foster youth report that emotional permanency is the most important kind of permanency for them.

Legal Permanency: Legal permanency offers the legal protections for the child to know adults will be there for them as a “forever” family.

Connection to Biological Family: Knowing where the child comes from is critical in the understanding of “who” the child is as an adult. Even if a child chooses not to reconnect with their biological family, having this information is vital. It provides them with the background of where they came from and plays a part in the formation of their self-identity.


Emotional Permanency (Slide Layer)

Legal Permanency (Slide Layer)


Biological Connection (Slide Layer)

2.7 Permanency Planning: Family Networks

Notes:

Audio Narration:

When a family is at risk for a child being removed, explore the connections and network within and around the family that can keep the child and family safe. This network can also be resources for care if the parents are unable to care for the child on their own. This early


approach allows for permanency planning ahead of time and at the time when needed.

There are several tools to identify family connections, such as a genogram or through eco mapping with a family.

Having a meeting to develop a family’s safety network offers the family a way to look at their natural support systems and family/friend networks that could help care for their child if they are unable to care for them. This empowers the parents to make family decisions about the care of their children. Family and team meetings offer opportunities for courageous conversations on difficult and sensitive topics.

2.8 Permanency Planning: Ongoing

Notes:

Audio Narration:

We continue to look for permanency at every opportunity for all children in child welfare. In particular, adolescents who have more complex needs may need specialized care or a setting that may not offer immediate permanency. We continue to look for a “forever” family, and we continue to look for people willing to be a part of a youth’s life beyond their time in foster care. We work to provide the emotional connections youth need for their immediate situations and into adulthood.


2.9 Knowledge Check

(Drag and Drop, 10 points, 1 attempt permitted)

Drag Item Drop Target

Biological Connection Provides children with the background of

where they came from and plays a part in the

formation of their self-identity.

Legal

Permanency

Offers the legal protections for the child to

know adults will be there for them as a

“forever” family.

Emotional Permanency Safe and secure reciprocal relationship that

provides love and is in the context of a broad

network of connections able to support the

development and well-being of the child.


Drag and drop properties

Return item to start point if dropped outside the correct drop target

Snap dropped items to drop target (Stack random)

Allow only one item in each drop target

Delay item drop states until interaction is submitted

Feedback when correct:

That's right! You matched each element of permanency with its description.

Feedback when incorrect:

That's not right. The correct response is shown here.

Correct (Slide Layer)


Incorrect (Slide Layer)

3. Concurrent Planning

3.1 Concurrent Planning

Notes:

Audio Narration:


In this topic, you’ll learn about concurrent planning as the practice model in child welfare to improve permanency outcomes and permanent connections for children, youth and young adults.

3.2 Concurrent Planning: Definition

Notes:

Audio Narration:

The National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections defines concurrent planning as:

“A process of working towards one legal permanency goal (typically reunification) while at the same time establishing and implementing an alternative permanency goal and plan that are worked on concurrently to move children/youth more quickly to a safe and stable permanent family. This is a process which involves concurrent rather than sequential permanency planning efforts. It involves a mix of meaningful family engagement, targeted case practice, and legal strategies aimed at achieving timely permanency, while at the same time establishing and actively working a concurrent permanency plan in case the primary goal cannot be accomplished in a timely manner. It is not a fast track to adoption, but to permanency.”


3.3 Concurrent Planning: Philosophy

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Concurrent planning is based on the philosophy that adults, rather than children and youth, should assume the emotional risk of foster care. Concurrent planning assumes that adults are better able to manage the ambiguity of relationships and the uncertainty of an unknown future so the emotional burden is shifted to them. We have high expectations for the adults in a child’s life that they are going to step up and do the work needed for the child’s well-being.


3.4 Concurrent Planning as the Practice Model

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Concurrent planning acknowledges that children need consistent, safe nurturing in order to develop successfully. As part of the child welfare continuum of service, a family reunification plan is offered to the parents and family to support successful positive behavior change that would allow the parents to parent their child safely in their care. It also acknowledges that parents may not always succeed. In that case, a second plan is developed simultaneously that supports another family offering primary care for a child.

It also ideally involves a child maintaining connections with their biological family in whatever way makes sense, even if it can only be through occasional cards, texts, e-mails, etc.

Concurrent planning acknowledges that it is the adults’ responsibility to shoulder the emotional complexities and difficulties of the relationships. They must work together to provide the child with a comprehensive nurturing and safe environment that causes no trauma to the child and no parentification of the child.

3.5 Reflection Activity

(Essay, 0 points, 1 attempt permitted)


Feedback:

When it’s a child or youth close to us, we’re aware of the need for an alternate permanent plan

so they can grow up in a safe and loving environment should something happen to their parent.


Notes:

Audio Narration:

Take a moment and think about a child you have a connection with, perhaps your own child, a relative or a friend’s child. What would happen to that child if something happened to their parent? Is there another alternate person or plan for the child? Enter your thoughts in the space provided, then click SUBMIT.

Thank You (Slide Layer)


3.6 Attachment to Families

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Both permanency planning and concurrent planning are built on the belief that children can have strong attachments to more than one family. It’s not a contradiction for a child to have a strong and healthy relationship with their resource family (relatives are first preference) and with their birth family. In fact, most children do this every day by attending day care, school and involvement with other adults.

The key to successful attachment for children in care is when all the adults take on the responsibility of ensuring all types of connections are allowed and nurtured. The birth and caregiving families must be willing and committed to work together in the best interest of the child.


3.7 Key Considerations: ICWA

Notes:

Audio Narration:

If a child or the child’s family has Indian ancestry, they may fall within the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) of 1978. Concurrent planning is a requirement of ICWA. Maintaining tribal authority and involvement is a state requirement of ICWA practice and is part of permanency and concurrent planning. Tribal Customary Adoption is adoption that does not require termination of parental rights so that a Native American child can stay affiliated with the tribe. This is a unique permanency plan in California.


3.8 Concurrent Planning Research

Notes:

Audio Narration:

The concept and practice of concurrent planning has been around for many years. Research in this practice is beginning to show outcomes that support that permanency is established more quickly when concurrent planning is practiced. Children who have a concurrent plan achieved permanency more quickly. Children who did not have an alternate plan upon termination of parental rights (TPR) were more likely to not be adopted. Another finding shows that openness and direct communication between birth parents and caregivers in the concurrent planning process led to more relinquishments and open adoptions.

3.9 Knowledge Check

(True/False, 10 points, 1 attempt permitted)


Correct Choice

X True

False


That’s correct! Concurrent planning is a requirement of ICWA.


Sorry, that’s incorrect. Concurrent planning is a requirement of ICWA.


4. Principles of Concurrent Planning

4.1 Principles of Concurrent Planning

Notes:

Audio Narration:

In this topic, you’ll learn about the principles of concurrent planning in child welfare practice.


4.2 Nine Principles of Concurrent Planning

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Concurrent planning is the process a permanency team uses to plan with children, youth and families to reunite while simultaneously considering and preparing to implement one of the other permanency plans. These may include adoption or placement with a legal guardian. Concurrent planning involves the following nine core principles:

1.Differential assessment and prognostic case review.

2.Full disclosure to all participants in the case planning process.

3.Family search, family finding and engagement.

4.Family group conferencing/teaming.

5.Visiting between family, child/youth.

6.Setting clear time lines for permanency decisions.

7.Transparent written agreements and documentation.

8.Committed collaboration between child welfare services, the courts and service providers.

9.Specific recruitment, training, and retention of dual licensed resource families.

Click on each principle to learn more. Once you have visited all nine principles, click NEXT to continue.


Continue (Slide Layer)

4.3 Full Disclosure

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Another principle of concurrent planning is the act of full disclosure.

Click each question to learn more.


Click Resources to download the handout, Full Disclosure for an example of what full disclosure might look like in action.

What is full disclosure? Full disclosure is the respectful, candid discussion that begins when a child is placed in foster or relative care. These candid discussions are offered to the parents and other team members. Full disclosure continues throughout the life of the case and includes parents’ rights and responsibilities and the problems that have been identified that led to their child’s placement in foster care. It also includes the changes needed, the expectations of the agency and the court, alternative decision-making, and possible consequences.

Who is entitled to full disclosure? Birth parents, extended family, children and youth, foster parents, and relative caregivers are entitled to full disclosure. Tribal representatives (when appropriate), attorneys, guardians ad litem and service providers are also entitled to full disclosure. Be mindful that counties have different policies and procedures on what information can be shared with whom. However, important information should be shared with all team members for the safety, permanency and well-being of the child.

What does full disclosure look like? Full disclosure is having a courageous conversation. When families are in crisis, members often cannot or do not hear and absorb information the first time it is given. Many times parents have gotten to the end of their family reunification time and are surprised that their children may not return to their care. They say that it was never discussed with them. If the discussion did not happen more than once and it happened only at a time of crisis, it may be that they did not hear the conversation. When someone is in a high state of anxiety they may not be able to concentrate on the content of what is being said.

For those reasons discussions about permanency, placement, case plan progress, meaningful participation in visitation and family time all needs to be a part of the on-going discussions that we have with the relevant stakeholders. We need to keep talking to parents about being the best parent that they can be for their child even if it might mean that they would not be the primary caregiver.

Being creative with families and working out best ways to maintain contact so that a child’s needs for nurturing, safety and connection are protected and maintained by all of the important people in their lives is a very important process and can reduce stress and trauma for the child and the family.


What is it? (Slide Layer)

Who is entitled? (Slide Layer)


What does it look like? (Slide Layer)

4.4 Family Search, Family Finding, and Engagement

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Family search or family finding in order to locate relatives and non-related extended family members, or NREFM’s, is a critical step in the concurrent planning process.



Importance of Family Finding: It’s important for you to talk with families about who they would want to care for their children should they be unable to do so. Research shows that children do have better outcomes for permanency in kin-care. Staying connected to their families creates less trauma for them when they move from their family home. Working with kin and non-related extended family member (NREFM) connections who are willing to support family reunification while at the same time offer permanency to a child should the biological family not be able to reunify with the child is ideal.

Skills and Resources: There are benefits and concerns expressed by parents, youth and relatives about family finding, especially during the first days of a child’s removal from a family. Skilled engagement techniques, on-going open discussions, and a personalized response to each family are recommended as part of a family finding process. These conversations can be delicate as families want to maintain current family roles and still may have hope for their family members that have challenges they must overcome. Many counties have specialists or specialized units that work with the family to identify potential legal and permanent connections.

Family Finding Principles: Family Finding Principles help guide our practice to focus on being youth-centered and that the adults need to act accordingly. These guidelines include:

Finding a family is a youth-driven process.

Every youth deserves and can have a permanent family.

Youth have the right to know about their family members; family members have the right to know about their youth.

Youth should have connections with the biological family, regardless of whether they will live with them, unless there is a compelling reason not to.

With support, most youth can live in a home rather than in foster care or institutions.

Family and fictive kin help develop, plan and achieve the youth's permanence.

The goal of Family Search and Engagement (FSE) is permanency, through reunification, guardianship, adoption or another form of permanent commitment. Long-term placement in foster care is not a permanent plan.


Importance of Family Finding (Slide Layer)

Skills and Resources (Slide Layer)


Family Finding Principles (Slide Layer)

4.5 Transparent Written Agreements and Documentation

Notes:

Audio Narration:

You can develop clear, concise written agreements and documentation in your case plans that meet the legal standards (and purpose) for each hearing and focus on the parents’ behaviors and the impact on the child (either negatively or positively). Behavioral descriptions of how the


parents are meeting the case plan objectives and their responsibilities, and how they are addressing safety, are key factors towards reunification or towards the alternate permanent plan.

Click each item to learn more about what agreements and documentation include.

Agreements include:

Documentation of short-term immediate goals and long-term permanency goals; “Who will do what, when and how?”

Tasks and time frames for activities associated with safety and well-being of the child.

Agreements with the caregivers and parents about the child.

Visitation and family time scheduling.

Early and on-going case review to assess progress, review continuing needs, and plan for the future.

Documentation includes:

Behavioral descriptions of what brought the child into the child welfare system and what behaviors need to be demonstrated to assure safety.

Progress in any services that the family is referred to - Mental Health, Intimate Partner Violence, Parenting, etc.

Parents should have the opportunity to show their new behaviors and the documentation should reflect this.

Agreements (Slide Layer)


Documentation (Slide Layer)

4.6 Committed Collaboration

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Everyone who works with children and families in abuse or neglect cases needs to understand and accept the concepts of concurrent planning as a creative and responsible way to achieve permanency for the child. The support of the courts, attorneys, and advocates is critical to


successful concurrent planning. Facilitating regular meetings and trainings between social workers, foster parents, caregivers, attorneys and the Court can better support good concurrent planning practices in your county.

4.7 Setting Clear Timelines for Permanency Decisions

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Concurrent planning begins on “Day One.”

Click each item to learn more about setting clear timelines for permanency decisions.

Legal Mandates:

Legal mandates state that children are to be reunified with their parents within 12 months, with a potential for 6 more months if the parents can benefit from the extra time to obtain and practice behaviors that will make it safe for the children to be returned. In California, parents have only 6 months to demonstrate sufficient safety behaviors with children 3 years of age or younger. This timeline includes sibling sets if one sibling is under the age of 3.

Circumstances such as being an incarcerated parent, being detained by homeland security and/or showing significant progress in a case plan in which more time may be needed to achieve safety for a child, may impact the timing of permanency hearings. Please check with your supervisor, county policy and procedure and/or your County Counsel to ensure your family is meeting the specific timelines set by the Court for permanency hearings.

Communicating Timelines:


It’s critical that you provide written and oral communication at every opportunity to parents so they understand these timelines for reunification. You’ll also want to provide them with frequent feedback on the progress of their case plan. Other stakeholders such as the court and the parent(s)’ attorney will also play an important role in setting clear expectations and guidelines during the reunification process.

Legal Mandates (Slide Layer)


Communicating Timelines (Slide Layer)

4.8 Visits Between Family and Youth

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Research has demonstrated that visitation and family time correlates with successful reunification. Having visitation often, with demonstrated purpose, provides the best evidence that parents are aware of their children’s needs and respond accordingly. Setting up visitation


and family time for success is important.

4.9 Family Group Conferencing and Teaming

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Most counties have a number of team meetings that bring the family, social worker and other stakeholders together for the purposes of initial and stabilization of placement, child well-being (mental and behavioral health, education) and/or transitions (emancipation conferences, change of placement). In concurrent planning, a family, youth, relative, NREFM, and/or resource family may be brought together within days of a child being placed in out of home care.

These meetings can set the foundation for how the family and caregiver can work together on behalf of the child’s needs for emotional and permanent connections. These can be awkward and stressful conferences. Structure your family team meetings around a purpose, with concerted efforts at engagement and developing rules, roles and responsibilities to keep the child as safe and secure as possible. Please consult your supervisor on other family team meetings in your county.


4.10 Recruitment, Training, and Retention of Resource Families

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Since the adoption of ASFA, there have been on-going efforts to recruit, train and retain relatives and foster parents also known as resource families, who are willing to:

Help with reunification of a child placed in their home with a reunification plan AND

Become the permanent home for the child, if reunification does not take place.

These families must be flexible enough to work with what appears at times competing goals. So training, helping resource families navigate strong emotions and feelings, addressing biases and being positively involved with parents who have hurt their children is important. Resource families can be the strongest supporter for and/or they may hinder the reunification process.

Ensure that your resource families have training on concurrent planning and supports to navigate strong feelings and biases during the reunification phase of a family’s plan.

In 2015, a new process for approving both foster parents, relatives and adoptive parents was implemented. Known as Resource Family Approval, (RFA), this new process streamlines multiple approval processes into one. Rules, regulations and procedures are continuing to be developed.

Click “Updates to RFA” to see the California Department of Social Services website for updates on the RFA Program.


4.11 Knowledge Check

(Multiple Response, 10 points, 1 attempt permitted)

Correct Choice

X Family group conferencing and teaming

X Transparent written agreements and documentation

X Specific recruitment, training, and retention of dual licensed resource families

Finding emotional and legal permanency


That's right! While emotional and legal permanency are important, they are not a principle of

concurrent planning.


Sorry, that's incorrect. While emotional and legal permanency are important, they are not a

principle of concurrent planning. The other options are principles of legal permanency.


Notes:




4.12 Differential Assessment and Prognostic Case Review

Notes:

Audio Narration:

One of the cornerstones of concurrent planning is making a differential assessment which includes the likelihood that the family will reunify. This helps inform your placement choice and helps implement a permanent plan as early as possible. When the likelihood of reunification is less than positive, you can work with the family to build it and work with your team to secure a likely permanent home for the child.

Working with the family to understand what is important to them in the process, and asking about what they care about, are all ways to humbly understand the culture of the family. It also helps you to understand what is important to them about where their children stay and helps empower the family to make positive, safe good parenting decisions for their children.

Using some type of tool that can support good practice in generally giving an idea of how likely it is that a family will reunify, and conditions that make it less likely to reunify, is helpful in working with families in the child welfare system.

Click Resources to download the handout, Reunification Prognosis Assessment Guide as an example of a tool you can use in your practice. Please check with your county to see what tool your county uses for differential assessment. Remember, a poor prognosis does not necessarily mean a child will never reunify. It’s important to work with families on a “case by case” basis when implementing concurrent planning.


5. Concurrent Planning in Action

5.1 Concurrent Planning in Action

Notes:

Audio Narration:

In this topic, you’ll learn about the key steps for successful concurrent planning in child welfare services.


5.2 Concurrent Planning in Action

Notes:

Audio Narration:

What does concurrent planning look like in action? For all families it will be an individualized process. Let’s take a look at three key processes in more detail to help prepare you to work with the families to achieve a successful concurrent plan. These areas and processes include:

Parent search and family finding;

Legal permanency and collaboration of the legal community; and

Physical and emotional permanency and collaboration of the child’s network.


5.3 Family Finding

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Parent search and family finding are two activities that meet several goals. The potential connections to find are many and varied.

Click on each potential connection to learn more.

Absent Parents:

When a child is brought into out-of-home care, you are legally required to make an effort to find absent parents. Even when reunification services have been terminated, finding absent parent is important so that a child may have options to connect with their biological parents when the child becomes an adult.

Relatives:

Relatives may be willing and able to be temporary and/or permanent family during reunification. In California, WIC 319 (f) 2 defines “relative” to mean an adult who is related to the child by blood, adoption, or affinity within the fifth degree of kinship, including stepparents, stepsiblings, and all relatives whose status is preceded by the words "great," "great-great," or "grand," or the spouse of any of these persons, even if the marriage was terminated by death or dissolution. However, only the following relatives shall be given preferential consideration for placement of the child: an adult who is a grandparent, uncle, aunt or sibling of the child.

Emotional Connection:

Non-relatives who have an emotional connection to the child may be willing to be a permanent home.

Relational Permanency:


You may also find people willing to have relational permanency to a child who may either return to the parents, stay with a relative or adoptive family, or age out of foster care.

Absent Parents (Slide Layer)

Relatives (Slide Layer)


Emotional Connection (Slide Layer)

Relational Permanency (Slide Layer)


5.4 Parent Search

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Parent search activities may be done as a specialized function within a county, or may be part of your responsibilities as a social worker for the family. Parent search may involve many formal and informal activities.

Click each type of activity to learn more.

Formal Activities

Formal activities include:

Reviewing the case record, particularly older files that may have names, dates of birth and addresses and phone numbers.

Researching current county databases, including TANF, welfare to work, MediCal and CalFresh.

Researching local and statewide criminal justice databases.

Researching other county department records (voter registration, local county clerks of records, register of deeds, birth, death, marriage and divorce records).

Researching Department of Motor Vehicles, State Board of Elections/Voter registration.

Performing other research searches such as online newspapers or newsletters, church records, SSDI/Social Security death index, and child support enforcement agency via the Federal Parent Locator.

Informal Activities


Informal activities include:

Meeting with the former child welfare services caseworkers.

Engaging the child and/or siblings.

Meeting with family members to obtain information on parents and/or families.

Engaging with community resources such as neighbors, churches, and current and former employers.

Formal (Slide Layer)


Informal (Slide Layer)

5.5 Family Finding Tools

Notes:

Audio Narration:

There are a number of engagement strategies and tools that you can use to obtain parent and family information.

Click each type of tool to learn more.


Mapping and Diagrams

Click the link on the screen to learn more about Connectedness Mapping, Mobility Mapping, Flow Diagrams and Connectograms.

Tools for Finding Fathers

Many fathers of children are willing to step forward to take care of their children. Not only is finding fathers legally required, it’s important to involve fathers, even if they are not able to take care of their children at the time of removal. If paternity has not been yet established, then establishing paternity or legal standing as a parent of a child requires a finding by the court.

You can find parentage information on the website for the California Rules of Court. Click the link on the screen to learn more about California Rules of Court Rule 5.635. Parentage.

Another useful tool for working with mothers to identify and find fathers is available at the American Humane Organization website. Click the link on the screen to see the tool entitled, A Tool For Reducing Barriers To Finding Fathers Through Mothers. This tool offers great suggestions on approaches and questions to ask mothers who may be reluctant to engage and disclose information about fathers.

Questions for Finding Relatives

Working with the family to find relatives and those important family friends and supports becomes crucial in finding legal connections and people who have emotional connections to the child. A direct approach is to ask the family for relative and family friend information. A more strength-based approach would be to ask questions that help the family think through who might take care of their children, which may help the family to begin to develop a safety network. Questions about “who might be out there” may yield names of people the family hasn’t considered before.

Take a moment and read the questions to consider for finding relatives. These questions may produce a large list of relative and connective caregivers, some of which might be very suitable for a positive relative or NREFM placement.


Mapping & Diagrams (Slide Layer)

Finding Fathers (Slide Layer)


Finding Relatives (Slide Layer)

5.6 Tips for Contacting Connections

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Often you’ll need to make calls to find family connections. This can be challenging for you and the person you are attempting to contact.

Click Resources and download the handout, Making Cold Calls for tips on making “cold calls” to


potential family connections.

5.7 Siblings

Notes:

Audio Narration:

The Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) 16010.4 states that foster parents are to provide opportunities for siblings, half siblings or other children deemed as family members to visit and or stay connected. WIC 16010.6 defines expectations for siblings who have been placed together, are separated, and how siblings will maintain contact.

Siblings are recognized as one of the most powerful connections we have and therefore every effort should be made to maintain and enhance these connections. Children in placement need these connections as part of their history and formation of their own identity.


5.8 Engaging Relatives and NREFM

Notes:

Audio Narration:

It is important to have conversations with relatives and NREFMs about what concurrent planning means. This includes asking if they are willing to be the permanent family if the child cannot reunify with their parents. Will the relative/NREFM work towards reunification, even if they have an ambivalent relationship with the parents?

Other questions to ask when looking for the alternate permanent family include “What does it mean to care for a child in your home when there is a reunification plan?” and “How do you envision caring for the child emotionally and legally/permanently?” You’ll also want to ask how the relative or NREFM will handle a child who may behaviorally react each time they see the parent and how they will work together towards meaningful visitation and family time.

By asking such questions, relatives and NREFM’s gain information and make decisions on how best to meet the child and family’s needs, and to balance their own needs.


5.9 Remember ICWA

Notes:

Audio Narration:

If a child is Native American and is a member of a tribe, it is important legally as well as good practice to engage the tribe in suggesting who might be a family that child can live with, while the family works towards reunification. Complex families in which one parent is a member of a tribe and the other parent is not, require effort on everyone’s part to ensure the child is in the right concurrent home and remains connected to the tribe.


5.10 Resource Families

Notes:

Audio Narration:

There are times when there will not be any relatives or NREFMs available. Resource families become the next best option when developing a concurrent plan or permanent plan.

Click each type of resource family to review a definition. Note that your county may use different definitions for these terms.

Foster Care Family: True short-term placements usually used at the time of initial emergency placement. These families usually do not plan to adopt.

Resource Family: Willing to actively support reunification including having a relationship with the birth family, teaching/modeling parenting skills, and willing to adopt/guardianship if reunification cannot occur. These families are willing to maintain connections post permanency and can handle the unknown.

Adoption Family: Willing to adopt after permanent plan is determined. These families can support a child’s ongoing need to have connections with family and others with whom the child has emotional connections.


Foster Care Family (Slide Layer)

Resource Family (Slide Layer)


Adoption Family (Slide Layer)

5.11 Case Scenario

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Here’s a case scenario about Jasmine, a child who has been brought into custody, that illustrates concurrent planning in action. Click each stage of her story to learn more.

Background: Jasmine, age 7, was brought into custody because of physical abuse. The first


interview with the family (Father, Mario, Mother Gina) yielded little information about the family and potential adults who could care for Jasmine.

Preparation: The social worker brings the handout entitled, Full Disclosure to use as a guide for part of the conversation and a genogram to the second interview to discuss with Mario and Gina potential adults who could care for Jasmine. The social worker uses solution-focused questions to ask the parents about who they would want to have care for Jasmine if they were unable to.

Family Finding: Initially, both Mario and Gina were hesitant to give names. With some exploration, the social worker finds that both parents had not told any extended family members what had happened in the hopes that Jasmine would be returned to them. After further questioning and reassurances that everyone was looking out for Jasmine’s best interest, the parents participated in developing a genogram. The genogram identified over 8 relatives who might be willing to care for Jasmine.

Next Steps: The social worker continues to explain next steps to Mario and Gina, including:

Reunification is the first priority and an alternate permanent plan would be developed once the social worker had contacted the relatives; and

The relatives would be asked specifically that if Jasmine could not return home, would the relative be willing to have Jasmine permanently.

The social worker gives the parents a document that shows the tentative timelines for the family, a list of resources and encourages the family to talk with the attorney that has recently been appointed for them.

Background (Slide Layer)


Preparation (Slide Layer)

Family Finding (Slide Layer)


Next Steps (Slide Layer)

5.12 Case Scenario Reflection Activity

(Essay, 0 points, 1 attempt permitted)


Feedback:

Thank you for your reflections. Click Continue to see some potential interventions for Peter’s

case.

Notes:


Thank You (Slide Layer)

5.13 Potential Interventions

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Peter’s case may be typical of the dilemma of concurrent planning in practice. Parents are entitled to reunification services and resource families often feel helpless in dealing with a child who is distressed by visitation and family time. It’s important to work with both families to help


them understand Peter’s reactions.

Click each possible intervention to learn more.

Intervention #1: It is quite normal for Peter to act out his distress when leaving his parents. This is evidence of attachment to his parents and leaving them creates feelings that Peter is unable to control. Helping Peter understand that his feelings are normal and giving him words to voice his feelings is one strategy that Peter can learn.

Intervention #2: Work with the resource family around any issues or concerns regarding the parenting of Peter by Vickie and Jason. The resource family may have clear concerns. Or, they may be responding to Peter’s behavior by being ambivalent about becoming attached to Peter with the prospect of letting him go. Helping the resource family around issues of connectedness, loss and the dual role they have with Peter (as a temporary or permanent family for Peter) may aid the resource family supporting the reunification efforts that may be in Peter’s best interests.

Intervention #3: Consider increasing visitation and family time. If the parents are working on reunification and evidence supports the changes the parents are making to have Peter safely return to them, then visitation and family time should be increased accordingly. With Peter having more contact with his biological family, he may feel reassured that his parents love and want him, and can take care of him safely.

Intervention #1 (Slide Layer)


5.14 Legal Permanency and Collaboration

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Understanding the concept of due process and parental rights when children are first placed in out of home care is important for social workers. Parental rights will be temporarily limited by the judge at court. You will recommend a number of actions, and attorneys for the child, parents and others may have a say in what will be allowed. Depending on the allegations, parental contact may be severely limited, or contact may be ordered to be as frequent as possible with the social worker’s discretion. You will be responsible to ensure the judge’s orders are followed.

You will be asked to report and make recommendations on a concurrent plan for the family. At review hearings, you will be asked to report on the progress towards reunification. If the family does not reunify, the judge will order that the alternate plan be implemented. Parental rights may be terminated and the “forever” family is now the legal parent(s) or guardian(s).

Getting support from your county’s legal staff assures legally sound case work and case planning. Follow your county’s policy and procedure to ensure that your County Counsel has the information they need to represent you in court. As appropriate, contact with the child’s attorney and parent’s attorney may help in building a team that ensures the child’s safety as well as permanency and well-being needs are met in a timely manner.


5.15 Court and Legal Persons

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Case plans ordered by the court must reflect both permanency plans, and must incorporate the intensive services and visitation required. Judges, attorneys for the parents, children and the child welfare services agency as well as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) or guardian ad litems need to be aware of their roles in working with families, youth and children in the concurrent planning process.


5.16 Emotional Connections

Notes:

Audio Narration:

It is important to think about a lifelong view when talking about emotional connections and a child’s network.


Importance of Connections: Many children who are adopted at birth seek out information on their biological families when allowed to do so. Older adopted children or those placed with guardians who have memories of the families often seek out their biological families as adults. While some adopted children are clear that their adopted family is their family and do not want contact, many do and will contact their biological parents for information about who they are and where they come from.

Planning for Connections: Ideally if a child cannot reunify, a plan on how to maintain connections, or a plan to gather information on the child’s behalf about the biological family for the time when the child is an adult, can help a child establish a healthy sense of self-identity. Children can and do thrive in permanent homes when they cannot return to their biological parents. However, those children will become adults who may need to reconnect with their biological families if only to answer questions and make decisions about who they are in the world.

Connections and Emerging Adults: Some of our youth remain in care until the age of 21. In many cases, we can help youth maintain emotional connections with family and friends. We can also help youth and emerging adults think about how to establish and maintain emotional connections for successful adulthood, even if family connections are not available. It is another way of looking at concurrent planning for adults.


Click Resources and download the handouts that you can use in your practice as tools with emerging adults:

Where or Who Do I Go To After 5pm if

Mobility Mapping

Youth Permanence Consult Sheet

Importance (Slide Layer)


Planning (Slide Layer)

Emerging Adults (Slide Layer)


5.17 Never Stop Permanency Planning

Notes:

Audio Narration:

It is a wonderful experience to have a child reunify with their parents safely, with permanency and attention to the child’s well-being. In some families, this will not happen. It’s important to find a “forever” family who will provide safety, permanency and well-being in such cases. Finding a forever family can be a bit of a magical process. People connecting to each other is a natural process all of our lives. It is how we survive, through our affiliations with others.

There is always hope that a child is going to be able to connect with a positive adult in their lives and form permanent connections. Keep asking about connections past and present as you are working with children and families. Consider all connections for growing possible permanent connections.

5.18 Knowledge Check

(Multiple Choice, 10 points, 1 attempt permitted)


Correct Choice

WIC states that foster parents are to provide opportunities for siblings to visit

and/or stay connected.

Resource families are the next best option when developing a concurrent plan or

permanent plan if there are not any relatives or NREFMs available.

You should follow your county’s policy and procedure to ensure that your County

Counsel has the information they need to represent you in court.

X It’s not important to gather information on a biological family if the child will not

return to them permanently.


That's right! Even when children will not return to their biological family, it is important to plan

for connection or information gathering.


Sorry, that's incorrect. Even when children will not return to their biological family, it is

important to plan for connection or information gathering.


Notes:




6. Conclusion

6.1 Conclusion

Notes:

Audio Narration:

This course has covered the rationale for permanency and concurrent planning, principles of concurrent planning and concurrent planning in action. You are an important team member to ensure that children return or find homes that will care for them safely, attend to their well-being and be their permanent family. Concurrent planning when practiced with strength-based, family empowerment strategies, can offer families a way to remain connected with children, while their children are not in the care. Concurrent planning also provides for permanency if a child cannot safely go home.


6.2 Posttest

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Now, it’s time to see what you learned in this online module. You will need to score 80% or higher on the Posttest to receive credit for this course.

Click NEXT to begin the Posttest.

6.3 Draw from Question Bank 1

Draw all questions randomly from Question Bank 1

6.4 Results

(Results Slide, 0 points, 1 attempt permitted)


Results for

6.3 Draw from Question Bank 1

Result slide properties

Passing Score 80%


Success (Slide Layer)

Failure (Slide Layer)


6.5 References

Notes:

Audio Narration:

Here are the references we used to develop this course. Please click Resources to download the References handout.

6.6 Congratulations


Notes:

Audio Narration:

Congratulations! You’ve completed the eLearning course, Concurrent Planning Introduction.

Click Exit to exit the course.

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