1.0 CE (National Association of Social Workers – NASW)
Too often, permanency preparation with youth begins only once a family has been identified, which may not fully address the unique needs of youth who have experienced significant trauma. Trauma can profoundly affect a youth’s ability to trust and form stable attachments, and years spent in out-of-home care can leave youth “out of practice” in developing healthy interpersonal relationships. Our approach emphasizes the importance of starting permanency preparation early and involving supportive adults who can play a vital role in helping the youth relearn social and emotional skills, such as how to build and maintain relationships, communicate effectively, and navigate family and community dynamics. By focusing on individualized strategies that align with each youth’s cognitive, developmental, and emotional needs, we can tailor the process to build trust, resilience, and ultimately, readiness for permanency. This approach is not just about finding a family for the youth, but about empowering them to enter a stable and loving environment, fully prepared to thrive. Engaging supportive adults throughout this process further strengthens the foundation for long-term success and well-being.
According to Platt and Gephart (2022), children with disabilities in foster care spent an average of 915 days in foster care compared to 514 days for children without a disability. Once placed, children with disabilities in foster care had a mean of 4.0 disruptions while the mean is 2.37 disruptions among those without a disability. It is clear that these numbers need to change. This workshop will explore common barriers to permanency for children with disabilities, offer actionable strategies for recruitment and family preparation, highlight how cross-agency teams can collaborate more effectively. This will be an interactive session with the opportunity to learn from families and youth who are living the experience post-permanency.
1.0 CE (National Association of Social Workers – NASW)
Young people who age out of the foster care system without a safe, stable, emotionally secure parenting relationship face an array of challenges that significantly affect all areas of their lives as they continue to emerge into young adulthood. In Massachusetts, young people can sustain a connection with the state Department of Children and Families (DCF) between the ages of 18-22, and at times through age 23. However, there is no real expectation that young people involved with DCF during this time will achieve or are expected to achieve legal permanency. There are indeed young adults who want to be adopted and can be adopted, even if the current practice norms and policy in our state are barriers. The Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) and Plummer Youth Promise have partnered together to create an innovative solution that aims to assist transitional aged young adults in achieving permanency. This presentation will provide an overview of both agencies; the genesis of the collaboration; the role that each agency maintains; and the specifics of the actual permanency practice and procedures delivered to young adults who express an interest in Permanency Through Adoption. Youth and Family Voice/actual program participants will be incorporated into this presentation through assisting with the design of the presentation in addition to contributing to the delivery of the presentation.
