For more than 10 years, members of Pennsylvania’s Permanency Practice Initiative Workgroup have studied court and agency practices in the dependency (foster care) system with a goal to identify ways to increase family participation or a voice in the process, identify kinship resources, and promote permanency for children.
The methods identified by this group are now familiar to child welfare professionals and some are required by law. They include Family Finding, Family Group Decision-Making, court reviews every three months, increased communication and collaboration between agency and court staff, and increased staff training to address issues such as grief and loss, and strength-based practices.
The original goals of the Permanency Practice Initiative have been realized. The recommended practices identified by the Workgroup are being implemented throughout the Commonwealth. Therefore, in recognition of that achievement, the group recently issued a recommendation for a new initiative, shifting focus to Family Engagement.
The Family Engagement Initiative highlights court-based practices to enhance the family’s experience in the courtroom and improve family outcomes. The suggested new practices include:
- continue and improve family finding initiatives;
- improve quality of legal representation for all parties;
- continue and improve rapid response family meetings; and
- provide training for court and child welfare staff to facilitate system-wide implementation of motivational interviewing techniques.
Lehigh County and Northampton County have both been selected to participate in the Family Engagement Initiative. Five other counties were selected for the initial group, including Adams, Blair, Clinton, Lackawanna, and Union.
KingSpry’s adoption practice group applauds the work of the Permanency Practice Initiative Workgroup and the positive changes it has facilitated for children and families involved with the dependency system. We look forward to learning from the Family Engagement Initiative and implementing the best practices that stem from this work.
heARTbeat is a publication of KingSpry’s Adoption Law and Assisted Reproductive Technology Law Practice Group. It is meant to be informational and does not constitute legal advice.
