fourth national youth permanency convening april 28, 2005 san francisco, california
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FOURTH NATIONAL YOUTH PERMANENCY CONVENING
APRIL 28, 2005
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT
• THE JUVENILE COURT IS MANDATED TO ACCOMPLISH THREE GOALS:
• (1) KEEP CHILDREN SAFE• (2) GIVE PARENTS A FAIR CHANCE TO
REUNIFY WITH CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN REMOVED.
• (3) ENSURE TIMELY PERMANENCY FOR CHILDREN UNDER JUVENILE COURT JURISDICTION
THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT
• “PERMANENCY” MEANS
(1) RETURN TO A PARENT
(2) ADOPTION
(3) GUARDIANSHIP
(4) PLACEMENT WITH A RELATIVE
LAST CHOICE: FOSTER CARE OR GROUP HOME
THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT
• “TIMELY” MEANS WITHIN ONE YEAR, OR, IN SOME CASES, WITHIN SIX MONTHS.
THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT
• SOCIAL WORKERS HAVE DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO MAKE:(1) WHETHER TO REMOVE A CHILD FROM PARENTAL CARE.(2) WHAT SERVICES WOULD PREVENT REMOVAL?
(3) WHERE SHOULD A CHILD BE PLACED ONCE REMOVED?
(4) WHAT SERVICES SHOULD PARENTS BE OFFERED IN ORDER TO REGAIN CUSTODY OF THEIR CHILD?
THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT
• (5) WHETHER IT IS SAFE TO RETURN A CHILD TO PARENTAL CARE.
• (6) WHAT THE PERMANENT PLAN FOR A CHILD SHOULD BE WHO CANNOT RETURN TO A PARENT.
THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT
• THE JUVENILE COURT JUDGE MUST REVIEW ALL OF THESE ACTIONS/DECISIONS BY A SOCIAL WORKER…….. AND
• THE JUVENILE COURT JUDGE MUST MAKE CERTAIN THAT PARENTS AND THE CHILD RECEIVE DUE PROCESS OF LAW…….AND
THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT
• THE JUDGE MUST MAKE CERTAIN THAT ALL OF THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE IN A TIMELY FASHION.
THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT
• JUDGES RECOGNIZE THAT FOR YEARS THE JUVENILE COURT HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF THE PROBLEM.
• COURTS PROCEEDINGS CAN EASILY BE DELAYED.
• ONE CRITICAL ROLE OF THE JUDGE IS TO ENSURE THAT CASES MOVE WITHIN STATUTORY TIMELINES
THE ROLE OF THE JUDGE
• COURTS MUST ENSURE THAT ALL HEARINGS ARE HELD WITHIN STATUTORY TIMELINES.
• COURTS MUST INQUIRE ABOUT:
• (1) PATERNITY
• (2) RELATIVES
• (3) INDIAN HERITAGE
THE ROLE OF THE JUDGE
• JUDGES AND ALL COURT PARTICIPANTS MUST TREAT EACH CASE AS THOUGH IT WERE AN EMERGENCY….. BECAUSE IT IS!
THE ROLE OF THE JUDGE
• ONE EFFECTIVE PRACTICE IS TO REVIEW A CHILD’S CASE MORE FREQUENTLY THAN THE STATUTES REQUIRE.
• ANOTHER IS TO RESTRICT CONTINUANCE REQUESTS BY ALL PARTIES.
THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT
• IT IS NO FUN HAVING A JUDGE REVIEW EVERY STEP YOU TAKE AS A SOCIAL WORKER…..BUT IT’S THE LAW.
THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT
• GOOD NEWS!!!
• MORE PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO FOSTER CHILDREN…AND
• THERE HAVE BEEN MANY IMPROVEMENTS IN COURT AND AGENCY PRACTICE OVER THE PAST 5 – 10 YEARS.
SANTA CLARA COUNTY
IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY WE ARE TRYING TO IMPROVE PRACTICE EVERY DAY
SANTA CLARA COUNTY
WE HAVE MULTIPLE COURT SYSTEMS MEETINGS EVERY MONTH
SANTA CLARA COUNTY
• THESE MEETINGS ADDRESS:• (1) COURT SYSTEMS ISSUES• (2) PERMANENCY PLANNING ISSUES• (3) EDUCATIONAL ISSUES FACING
FOSTER CHILDREN• (4) CASA/COURT SYSTEMS MEETINGS• AND, IN ADDITION, WE HAVE A
SYSTEM-WIDE, MONTHLY CROSS-TRAINING.
SANTA CLARA COUNTY
FAMILY FINDING
• Our commitment to finding permanency for children has led us to develop new attitudes and practices:
• Family Finding• Wrap Around Services• Team Decision Making• Joint Response
FAMILY FINDING
• A NEW WAY OF LOOKING AT FAMILY
• AND A NEW METHODOLOGY
FAMILY FINDING
• HOW MANY LIVING RELATIVES DO WE EACH HAVE?
• HOW MANY ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE TYPICAL CHILD PROTECTION CASE?
FAMILY FINDING
• WE ARE COMMITTED TO FINDING FAMILIES
• WE ENCOURAGE A NEW ATTITUDE AND NEW TECHNOLOGY REGARDING FINDING FAMILIES
• “SOCIAL SERVICES ON STEROIDS”• OR• MISSION-DRIVEN MOTIVATION
FAMILY FINDING: OBSTACLES
• Typical social work practice stops family finding at the immediate biological family.
• Judges/attorney/GAL’s don’t ask.• We assume the family of a parent in prison
can’t be a resource for the child.• Challenging Behaviors discourage us• Non-family placements are easier• These decisions are made based on a lack of
understanding of the developmental needs of children.
FAMILY FINDING
• FROM A BIOLOGICAL -- DNA PERSPECTIVE, FAMILY PLACEMENTS ARE SAFER THAN NON- FAMILY PLACEMENTS
• FAMILY MEMBERS ARE MORE WILLING TO “GO THE EXTRA MILE” FOR A CHILD THEY SHARE DNA WITH.
FAMILY FINDINGSEARCH TOOLS
• Child Welfare Record Review• Family Ancestry Chart• Internet Sites for locating persons
– www.familysearch.org (Mormon Church)– www.geneologytoday.com– www.people-finder.com– www.ancestry.com– www.obituary.com (deceased relative information)
FAMILY SEARCH TOOLS
• Peopleprofileusa.com• usatrace.com (search by name SS#)• People-data.com• Social Security Death Index• Reunitetonight.com• Myfamily.com• Intelius.com
FAMILY SEARCH TOOLS
• Prison Locater Services• American Red Cross• Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)• Inter-State Compact for the Placement of
Children
• International Social Services– (BALTIMORE – 410-230-2730
– BE INSPIRED BY ANTWONE FISHER AND SHANE SHALTER
FAMILY FINDING
• Our Children’s Services Agency has created a unit that deals exclusively with finding relatives.
• The Agency has concluded that children will be better served when family members are located.
• This is consistent with the philosophy underlying Family Group Conferencing.
FAMILY FINDING
• The Children’s Services Unit is called
• RELATIVE FINDING ASSESSMENT UNIT
• SUPERVISOR: Leiam Rodarte
(408) 975-5148
FAMILY FINDING
• THESE PRACTICES MUST BE TAKEN STATEWIDE.
• AB 880 (COHN) WOULD DO THIS.• BASED ON WASHINGTON STATE LAW, AB
880 WOULD REQUIRE RELATIVE SEARCH IN EVERY CASE.
• IT WOULD REQUIRE THE STATE TO TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN DEVELOPING RELATIVE FINDING TECHNOLOGY
FAMILY FINDING
• THE RESULTS IN WASHINGTON OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS HAVE BEEN A DOUBLING OF RELATIVE PLACEMENTS.
PERMANENCY: EMERGING ISSUES
• IDENTIFICATION AND CONTACT WITH SIGNIFICANT OTHERS
– Some states require social workers to identify important persons in the child’s life.
– The legislatures in those states have determined that connecting with significant others is important to children in out-of-home care
PERMANENCY: EMERGING ISSUES
• DIMENSIONS OF CONNECTEDNESS:
• HEART: Who do you love? Who loves you? Who do you want to love you?
• MIND: Who teaches you? What are you learning? Who do you teach? Who do you think about?
PERMANENCY: EMERGING ISSUES
• BODY: Who shares your blood? Does anybody share your body? Who provides you with food and shelter?
• SOUL: To what or whom is your soul connected? What or who are your passions?
PERMANCYCY: EMERGING ISSUES
COLOR CODES FOR THE LINES
• RED is for the heart.
• GREEN is for the fertile and creative mind.
• BLUE is for the blood that runs in the veins
(body).
• YELLOW is for the light of the soul.
CONNECTEDNESS CHART
CONCLUSION
The best results will come from leadership within the Children’s Services Agency.
• After all, they are charged by state and federal statute to provide timely permanency for children.
CONCLUSION
• Judges must take a leadership role in monitoring permanency for children.
• This is the judge’s legal responsibility.
PERMANENCY- CONCLUSION
• ESTABLISH A MONTHLY MEETING TO ADDRESS PERMANENCY ISSUES.
• THE JUDGE SHOULD CONVENE THE MEETING.
• MEMBERS SHOULD INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL PARTIES IN THE DEPENDENCY SYSTEM.
PERMANENCY: CONCLUSION
• AGENDA
• (1) PERMANENCY ISSUES
• (2) THE ADOPTION PROCESS
• (3) EMANCIPATION ISSUES
• (4) CONNECTING FOSTER CHILDREN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
• ANY OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUE THAT HAS TO DO WITH PERMANENCY.
PERMANENCY: CONCLUSION
• TIMELY PERMANENCY FOR OUR YOUTH WILL ONLY BE ACHIEVED IF YOUR JURISDICTION MAKES IT A PRIORITY.
• PERSUADE YOUR LEADERS TO MEET REGULARLY ABOUT PERMANENCY.
• IMPROVEMENTS WILL FOLLOW FROM ORGANIZATIONAL STEPS AND YOUR COMMITMENT.
