6.1 Establishing Permanency for Children in Substitute Care

6.1.1 Introduction

This section provides a definition of permanency and describes several principles of permanency planning, such as the primacy of health and safety, that children should remain in their own homes whenever safety can be ensured and permanency begins at the time a case is opened. The section highlights the significance of 3 key decisions: deciding that sufficient change has been made so that reunification can be achieved, deciding when reunification can occur and deciding whether the alternative plan should be implemented. A triage approach must be taken to permanency planning: examining whether a case fits the criteria for expedited termination; if not, examining whether a case fits the criteria for permanency risk. If so, certain procedures apply such as placement of the child in a permanency home. The majority of cases will have a reunification goal. The section reviews and describes the 9 permanency goals.

6.1.2 Placement Selection and Pre-placement Activities

This section highlights the need for placements to be playful and the importance of matching the placement to the child. Basic principles of placement selection include choosing the least restrictive environment, choosing a home that is in close proximity to the child's birth family, placement with relatives if possible and making decisions consistent with IEPA, ICWA, and various consent decrees. Child-specific placement selection factors (such as age, nature of trauma, child's behaviors, any developmental, physical or mental health issues) are described. In addition, permanency factors that are relevant to placement selection are described. These include an assessment of the likelihood of reunification, placement of all siblings in one home, whether the home is a permanency home or can support the child's transition to a permanency home, etc. Finally caregiver-specific factors are discussed. These include ability and willingness to ensure the child's safety, willingness to work with the child's birth parents, willingness to maintain siblings together or support sibling visits, etc. The importance of pre-placement activities and a list of those activities are described.

6.1.3 Ensuring the Child's Well-being

Nine domains that underlie child well-being are discussed and the casework activities related to those domains are described. These domains are physical needs, family/attachment, safety, socialization, cultural and spiritual, emotional/psychological (which includes developmental, substance abuse and mental health), health, education and vocational, and legal. Some questions for caseworkers to consider when addressing issues in each domain follow the description of casework activities. This section highlights the responsibilities caseworkers have for ensuring the child's well-being.

6.1.4 Lifebooks

Lifebooks are important in helping the child gain an understanding of life events, resolve past hurts and disappointments and prepare for the future. The kind of information that should go into Lifebooks and how to work with the child around using the Lifebook are briefly described.

6.1.5 Visitation

Various aspects of visitation and timeframes for visitation are explained. The impact of visitation on parents, children (including siblings) and caregivers is described. Visits between children and a parent's paramour must take place in accordance with the paramour protocol. A description of different forms of visitation and casework activities relevant to that form of visitation is provided. Forms of visitation between parents and children include supervised, assisted or therapeutic, and shared or co-parenting visitation.

6.1.6 Partnering with Substitute Caregivers

It is important for caseworkers to establish a relationship with the caregiver in order to coordinate services and to provide support to the caregiver in meeting the child's needs. Suggestions for building a working relationship are given. In addition, activities that support and acknowledge the role of the caregiver are described.

6.1.7 Support to Birth Parents

Ways in which caseworkers can provide support to birth parents as they work toward reunification are articulated. These include crisis planning, negotiating a plan for effective communication, acknowledging separation and loss issues, treating parents with empathy, respect and genuineness.