Credit hours:
2.00

Course Summary

This course is designed to help foster parents and caregivers understand and support permanency for foster youth. In this course you will learn that permanency comes in many different shapes and sizes, and that different people can provide different types of permanency for foster youth. FosterClub believes permanence is vital to a youth in and from care's success in life, and that foster parents can play a vital role in this helping youth establish this.

In this course, you can expect to learn:

  • The federal definition of permanency

  • Statistics for permanency outcomes

  • Your role in helping children and youth establish permanence

  • Youth perspective about permanence

  • Build skills to speak to children and youth about permanence

Step 1

Read this FosterClub Real Story written by Aaron Weaver explaining how achieving permanency can make a significant contribution to a young person’s time spent in care.

Step 2

Read "Permanency: More Than Just Homes." The article was written for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteers, and contains relevant and valuable information for foster parents and caregivers

Step 3

Read pages 1-5 of "Court Hearings for the Permanent Placement of Children" from the Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Step 4

Review the National Foster Youth Advisory Council's (NFYAC), a group of young leaders who have experienced foster care, top ten recommendations for Ensuring Permanency for Youth in the Foster Care.

Step 5

Young people have a need for permanence even after they leave foster care. Read the blog "You Don't Age Out of Family" written by Julia Charles, a FosterClub Lived Experience Leader.

Step 6

Read this FosterClub Real Story by Aleks Talsky about the importance of educating young people on their permanency options and allowing them agency to determine their own permanency plan.

Step 7

Join the discussion in the comments below to answer the following question:

What actions will you take to ensure children and youth in your care have an active role in their own permanency plans?

Step 8

Finished the module? If you are logged in as a subscribed user, take the quiz to earn your Continuing Education Credit hours and certificate!

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Course Discussion

BLAB's picture
6 years 3 months ago

BLAB said:

Both the federal and youth permanency views are needed. It is important for the child to be heard. They need to feel that their opinion is important when deciding what their life path should be.
Blair's picture
6 years 3 months ago

Blair said:

In my mind the best thing a foster parent can do is to value both highly. For the foster parent to make a commitment to the child and fulfill the government's definition of permanency through adoption, that parent is committed to the youth's well being in every way (relational stability, having a "place" - as well as legally). To me this is the best case scenario for the child who has no other connections. If this can't happen though, the foster parent hopefully will choose to provide "relational" permanency through continued relationship, including offering the foster youth a "place" in their home.
jillianeliz81's picture
6 years 3 months ago

jillianeliz81 said:

I believe the child is most important but out of respect for the structure that was setup, it must be taken into consideration.
0togo7's picture
6 years 3 months ago

0togo7 said:

As the foster parent advocating for the child, the child's perspective should be on the forefront as you navigate the process together.
spa4x's picture
6 years 3 months ago

spa4x said:

I think that DSS, or any child services need to stop pushing so hard for reunification with a bio family. Children spent years waiting for a live long family. And instead they are tossed between homes. Make a game plan, for the bio family. Make it start at day one. If they don't do it, after one year the child can be adopted. Stop making it easier for the bio family to get away with all the hell they've put these children through. Give these kids a chance. No child should have to go through waiting for love, stability, and a family.
SeanL's picture
6 years 3 months ago

SeanL said:

Both should be taken into consideration. To be moved so many times does not give a child the sense of permanency. Also not saying why becomes heartbreaking. I understand that some information can't be said but we need to hear their answers to why they need a permanent home instead of being moved around so much. Please listen to our youth in care and take it into consideration when youth have to be moved for the fifth or twelfth time.
sfin74's picture
6 years 3 months ago

sfin74 said:

The federal definition should be the minimum standard but the youth's definition should be the suggested guideline. Listen to them when being the process of permanency.
PamDV's picture
6 years 3 months ago

PamDV said:

I think both sides are important, but it is incredibly important to listen to the perspective of the youth.
adevos's picture
6 years 3 months ago

adevos said:

The youth should definitely be listened to first and foremost. They are the one's being most affected and if they are not going to be heard, they tend to give up. We are to establish a strong support system for them to succeed and sometimes going purely 'by the book' clouds what is really best for the child.
ColbyW's picture
6 years 3 months ago

ColbyW said:

I believe the youths definition should be the most important. Because children are human beings and their personal definition of permanence is what will bring them peace. I believe that many times depending on the child those definitions will change and should be respected.