The caseworker will participate in a permanency hearing conducted by the court at twelve months following the temporary custody hearing and every six months thereafter. The purpose of the permanency hearing is to review:
· the appropriateness of the permanency goal or whether a new goal should be selected;
· the appropriateness of the services contained in the service plan and whether those services have been provided and if not, why not;
· whether reasonable efforts have been made by the caseworker;
· whether reasonable progress has been made by the parents; and
· whether the plan and goal have been achieved.
The caseworker will ensure that all parties to the permanency hearing are provided with a copy of the most recent service plan prepared within the prior six months at least 14 days in advance of the hearing. The caseworker is required to appear and testify at the hearing and prepare a written report for the court. Unless the local court has specified another format for the written report, form CFS 421, Permanency Hearing Report to the Court, shall be used to complete the required report. The report must be signed and dated by the caseworker and supervisor, and delivered to the court 14 days in advance of the hearing.
The caseworker's report to the court will present a recommendation regarding the permanency goal, clinical intervention, and social services that are in process or still required. The report should also focus on the child's adjustment in placement, the child's health, safety and well-being, and what is in the child's best interest concerning permanency. The parent's progress to date toward correcting the conditions that require the child to be in care will also be addressed. The caseworker must provide the basis for all recommendations and decisions in the report.
Within ten working days after the permanency hearing, the caseworker will:
· amend the service plan to conform to the court order, including amending the service plan in any language or mode of communication of the parent's preference;
· attach a copy of the permanency order to the amended service plan as well as ensuring that a copy of the order is in the case record;
· engage the family to ensure that the family understands the changes and obtain the family's signature on the service plan;
· file copies of the plan with the court as required by the local court of jurisdiction;
· file a copy in the case record
· complete the form CFS 1425L to report the permanency hearing results and the date of the next permanency hearing (in counties other than Cook); this form is to be filed in the case record;
· revise the CFS 1420, Case Review Form, to record the permanency goal, the review type and the permanency goal set by the Court. (In Cook County this information is electronically updated by Court personnel). At subsequent permanency hearings, the CFS 1420 need only be completed to change the permanency goal via court order;
· obtain a copy of the court order issued at the hearing and file it, along with the casenote notation regarding the hearing, in the case file.