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Permanency Enhancement Interventions for Adolescents

Scientific Ratings in this Topic
  • 1 Well-Supported by Research Evidence
  • 2 Supported by Research Evidence
  • 3 Promising Research Evidence
  • 4 Evidence Fails to Demonstrate Effect
  • 5 Concerning Practice
  • NR Not able to be Rated

Topic Areas

Topic Areas

Definition

Permanency Enhancement Interventions for Adolescents are defined by the CEBC as interventions to increase the timely achievement of permanency for adolescents by locating one or more adults that will care for the child or youth up to and beyond the age of 18. The interventions reviewed for this area are designed to address the various barriers to permanency for adolescents including emotional or behavioral disorders that may be present in the youth, no availability of a caring adult in the youth's life, and court or other legal delays to achieving permanency. Note: Many states offer a subsidized guardianship program to enhance permanency through establishing legal guardianship of children in foster care, please click here for more information about these types of programs.

  • Target population: Child and youth in out-of-home placements
  • Services/types that fit: Services that include caregiver recruitment efforts and/or intensive searches for family members as well as services to address the needs of these youth and support youth in permanent placements
  • Delivered by: Child welfare workers, mental health professionals, or trained paraprofessionals
  • In order to be included: Program must specifically target youth permanency as a goal
  • In order to be rated: There must be research evidence (as specified by the Scientific Rating Scale) that examines permanency-related outcomes, such as exits from out-of-home care, family connections, or placement disruptions

Definition

Permanency Enhancement Interventions for Adolescents are defined by the CEBC as interventions to increase the timely achievement of permanency for adolescents by locating one or more adults that will care for the child or youth up to and beyond the age of 18. The interventions reviewed for this area are designed to address the various barriers to permanency for adolescents including emotional or behavioral disorders that may be present in the youth, no availability of a caring adult in the youth's life, and court or other legal delays to achieving permanency. Note: Many states offer a subsidized guardianship program to enhance permanency through establishing legal guardianship of children in foster care, please click here for more information about these types of programs.

  • Target population: Child and youth in out-of-home placements
  • Services/types that fit: Services that include caregiver recruitment efforts and/or intensive searches for family members as well as services to address the needs of these youth and support youth in permanent placements
  • Delivered by: Child welfare workers, mental health professionals, or trained paraprofessionals
  • In order to be included: Program must specifically target youth permanency as a goal
  • In order to be rated: There must be research evidence (as specified by the Scientific Rating Scale) that examines permanency-related outcomes, such as exits from out-of-home care, family connections, or placement disruptions

Why was this topic chosen by the Advisory Committee?

The Permanency Enhancement Interventions for Adolescents topic area is relevant to child welfare because research studies point to the linkage between successful youth development and the quality of relationships with family of origin, kin, and other significant adults. Yet, the child welfare system has historically focused on preparation for adulthood for adolescents in the foster care system through independent living and life skills attainment. This focus has proven to be inadequate given what we know of the poor outcomes that emancipated youth experience (e.g., homelessness, criminal involvement, substance abuse, etc.). Although there are many issues that underlie poor adult outcomes for former foster youth (e.g., unresolved trauma, mental health needs, etc.), assisting youth to secure lifelong connections becomes a critical programmatic component for child welfare agencies that, along with other key supports, can significantly alter the youth's life trajectory and improve outcomes.

Jorge Cabrera, Senior Director
Casey Family Programs
San Diego, CA

Why was this topic chosen by the Advisory Committee?

The Permanency Enhancement Interventions for Adolescents topic area is relevant to child welfare because research studies point to the linkage between successful youth development and the quality of relationships with family of origin, kin, and other significant adults. Yet, the child welfare system has historically focused on preparation for adulthood for adolescents in the foster care system through independent living and life skills attainment. This focus has proven to be inadequate given what we know of the poor outcomes that emancipated youth experience (e.g., homelessness, criminal involvement, substance abuse, etc.). Although there are many issues that underlie poor adult outcomes for former foster youth (e.g., unresolved trauma, mental health needs, etc.), assisting youth to secure lifelong connections becomes a critical programmatic component for child welfare agencies that, along with other key supports, can significantly alter the youth's life trajectory and improve outcomes.

Jorge Cabrera, Senior Director
Casey Family Programs
San Diego, CA

Topic Expert

The Permanency Enhancement Interventions for Adolescents topic area was added in 2012. Peter Pecora, PhD was the topic expert and was involved in identifying and rating any of the programs with an original load date in 2012 (as found on the bottom of the program's page on the CEBC) or others loaded earlier and added to this topic area when it launched. The topic area has grown over the years and any programs added since 2012 were identified by CEBC staff, the Scientific Panel, and/or the Advisory Committee. For these programs, Dr. Pecora was not involved in identifying or rating them.

Topic Expert

The Permanency Enhancement Interventions for Adolescents topic area was added in 2012. Peter Pecora, PhD was the topic expert and was involved in identifying and rating any of the programs with an original load date in 2012 (as found on the bottom of the program's page on the CEBC) or others loaded earlier and added to this topic area when it launched. The topic area has grown over the years and any programs added since 2012 were identified by CEBC staff, the Scientific Panel, and/or the Advisory Committee. For these programs, Dr. Pecora was not involved in identifying or rating them.

Programs

30 Days to Family®

30 Days to Family® is an intense and short-term intervention that aims to place children with safe and appropriate relatives within 30 days of entering foster care. This program aims to meet mandates which require states to identify and provide notice of the child entering foster care to all grandparents and other adult relatives within 30 days of the child entering state custody. The concentrated efforts and low caseloads of 30 Days to Family® is designed to make placement with relatives possible, while also aiming to support the family so placement stability is maintained. 30 Days to Family® utilizes workers with experience in child welfare and a natural ability to locate and engage relatives.

Scientific Rating 3

Child-Focused Recruitment – Wendy’s Wonderful Kids

Child-Focused Recruitment is a prescribed model of foster care adoption recruitment that addresses the individual needs, circumstances, and history of children waiting to be adopted and provides the foundation for searching for appropriate families for children, particularly children most at risk of aging out of care (e.g., older youth, youth with mental challenges, sibling groups, children already in care for significant periods of time and in multiple placements). The program is currently managed by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

Scientific Rating 3

Family Finding

The Family Finding model establishes a lifetime network of support for children and youth who are disconnected or at risk of disconnection through placement outside of their home and community. The process identifies family members and other supportive adults, estranged from or unknown to the child, especially those who are willing to become permanent connections for him/her. The program also keeps contact with the youth on a weekly basis who are provided with an update on progress, assessed for support and safety needs, and consulted about key decisions where appropriate.

Upon completion of the process, youth have a range of commitments from adults who are able to provide permanency, sustainable relationships within a kinship system, and support in the transition to adulthood and beyond. Keeping safety at the forefront and using a family-driven process, families are empowered to formulate highly realistic and sustainable plans to meet the long-term needs of children and youth. Child outcomes may include increased reunification rates, improved well-being, greater placement stability, transition out of the child welfare system, decreased re-entry rates, and stronger sense of belonging for children.

Scientific Rating 3

Child Protective Services Reintegration Project

CRP provides home- and community-based services to help children/adolescents with mental health challenges transition back to the community from out-of-home placements, such as residential treatment centers (RTCs), hospitals, foster homes, and shelters.

CRP utilizes the Wraparound process, which builds on families' inherent strengths to care for youth with complex needs. Each youth/family is assigned to a Care Coordinator, whose role is to empower the youth and family–to set their own goals, decide how to meet them, and access/advocate for necessary support.

Scientific Rating NR

Extreme Recruitment®

Extreme Recruitment® is a race to find an adoptive home for a child in a fraction of the time it would normally take. The program works exclusively with the hardest-to-place children in foster care (ages 10-18, sibling groups, children with elevated needs, etc.). Extreme Recruitment® requires weekly, intensive meetings between the child's professional team members for 12-20 weeks. The added ingredient that makes Extreme Recruitment® unique is the use of a private investigator. This has significantly increased the ability to locate relatives of children in care. During the weekly meetings, the team develops action plans to address adoption recruitment activities, family finding, and preparing the youth for adoption by addressing their current and foreseeable needs.

Scientific Rating NR

Mockingbird Family(TM)

Mockingbird FamilyTM is a foster care service delivery model designed to improve the safety, well-being, and permanency of children, adolescents, and families in foster care. Mockingbird Family is grounded in the assumption that families with access to resources and support networks are best equipped to provide a stable, loving, and culturally supportive environment for children and adolescents.

It revolves around the concept of the Mockingbird Family Constellation, which intentionally establishes a sense of extended family and community. In each Mockingbird Family Constellation, six to ten families (foster, kinship, foster-to-adopt, and/or birth families) live in close proximity to a central, licensed foster or respite care family (Hub Home), whose role is to provide support. The support provided through the Hub Home includes assistance in navigating systems, peer support for children and parents, impromptu and regularly scheduled social activities, planned respite nearly 24 hours a day/7 days a week, and crisis respite as needed.

Scientific Rating NR

Programs

30 Days to Family®

30 Days to Family® is an intense and short-term intervention that aims to place children with safe and appropriate relatives within 30 days of entering foster care. This program aims to meet mandates which require states to identify and provide notice of the child entering foster care to all grandparents and other adult relatives within 30 days of the child entering state custody. The concentrated efforts and low caseloads of 30 Days to Family® is designed to make placement with relatives possible, while also aiming to support the family so placement stability is maintained. 30 Days to Family® utilizes workers with experience in child welfare and a natural ability to locate and engage relatives.

Scientific Rating 3

Child-Focused Recruitment – Wendy’s Wonderful Kids

Child-Focused Recruitment is a prescribed model of foster care adoption recruitment that addresses the individual needs, circumstances, and history of children waiting to be adopted and provides the foundation for searching for appropriate families for children, particularly children most at risk of aging out of care (e.g., older youth, youth with mental challenges, sibling groups, children already in care for significant periods of time and in multiple placements). The program is currently managed by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

Scientific Rating 3

Family Finding

The Family Finding model establishes a lifetime network of support for children and youth who are disconnected or at risk of disconnection through placement outside of their home and community. The process identifies family members and other supportive adults, estranged from or unknown to the child, especially those who are willing to become permanent connections for him/her. The program also keeps contact with the youth on a weekly basis who are provided with an update on progress, assessed for support and safety needs, and consulted about key decisions where appropriate.

Upon completion of the process, youth have a range of commitments from adults who are able to provide permanency, sustainable relationships within a kinship system, and support in the transition to adulthood and beyond. Keeping safety at the forefront and using a family-driven process, families are empowered to formulate highly realistic and sustainable plans to meet the long-term needs of children and youth. Child outcomes may include increased reunification rates, improved well-being, greater placement stability, transition out of the child welfare system, decreased re-entry rates, and stronger sense of belonging for children.

Scientific Rating 3

Child Protective Services Reintegration Project

CRP provides home- and community-based services to help children/adolescents with mental health challenges transition back to the community from out-of-home placements, such as residential treatment centers (RTCs), hospitals, foster homes, and shelters.

CRP utilizes the Wraparound process, which builds on families' inherent strengths to care for youth with complex needs. Each youth/family is assigned to a Care Coordinator, whose role is to empower the youth and family–to set their own goals, decide how to meet them, and access/advocate for necessary support.

Scientific Rating NR

Extreme Recruitment®

Extreme Recruitment® is a race to find an adoptive home for a child in a fraction of the time it would normally take. The program works exclusively with the hardest-to-place children in foster care (ages 10-18, sibling groups, children with elevated needs, etc.). Extreme Recruitment® requires weekly, intensive meetings between the child's professional team members for 12-20 weeks. The added ingredient that makes Extreme Recruitment® unique is the use of a private investigator. This has significantly increased the ability to locate relatives of children in care. During the weekly meetings, the team develops action plans to address adoption recruitment activities, family finding, and preparing the youth for adoption by addressing their current and foreseeable needs.

Scientific Rating NR

Mockingbird Family(TM)

Mockingbird FamilyTM is a foster care service delivery model designed to improve the safety, well-being, and permanency of children, adolescents, and families in foster care. Mockingbird Family is grounded in the assumption that families with access to resources and support networks are best equipped to provide a stable, loving, and culturally supportive environment for children and adolescents.

It revolves around the concept of the Mockingbird Family Constellation, which intentionally establishes a sense of extended family and community. In each Mockingbird Family Constellation, six to ten families (foster, kinship, foster-to-adopt, and/or birth families) live in close proximity to a central, licensed foster or respite care family (Hub Home), whose role is to provide support. The support provided through the Hub Home includes assistance in navigating systems, peer support for children and parents, impromptu and regularly scheduled social activities, planned respite nearly 24 hours a day/7 days a week, and crisis respite as needed.

Scientific Rating NR