Projects> Permanency
- Planning Initiatives
Permanency-Planning
Initiatives
The Northwest Institute has a long history
of promoting effective permanency planning practice at the
line management and systems
level. In collaboration with Linda Katz and others, the Institute
has a reputation for delivering effective concurrent and
permanency planning training. Trainers and experienced child
welfare professionals with the highest level of training
proficiency.
Some of the products
and projects currently underway include:
Permanency and
Concurrent Planning Training
Permanency
Planning from Day One
Permanence as well as safety is a matter of urgency
for every child involved with the child welfare system. Diligent permanency
planning from day one insures that children will not age out of the system
without permanent family and family connections.
This one day training builds on the principles
of the concurrent planning model to include specific actions
that can be taken throughout the life of a case to protect
the permanence of children in out of home care. Data related
to permanency outcomes is reviewed. Case studies illustrate
how those outcomes are achieved. Specific skills in early
identification of children most at risk of impermanence,
in strengths based engagement, kinship assessment and behaviorally
specific case planning are taught.
Learning objectives include (a) increased
understanding of how permanency planning can be incorporated
into daily practice (b) increased understanding of the
risks and protective factors related to permanence (c)
review of policies and laws related to permanence (d) skill
development in strengths based engagement (e) skill development
in early prognostic assessment (f) increased ability to
utilize kinship care (g) skill development in behaviorally
specific case planning.
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Foster
Care Outcomes
This one half day training summarizes
current knowledge regarding foster care outcomes, including
length of stay, permanent planning, kinship care, racial
disproportionality, re-entry into care and placement
instability. State and national data are compared. Implication
for policy and practice are discussed.
This training is an opportunity to
reflect on the overall functioning of foster care systems
as described by administrative data. It is also an opportunity
for child welfare staff at all levels of the organization
to talk with one another about the meaning of this information
for policy and practice.
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Reducing
Multiple Placements
This half day or one day training
reviews current knowledge regarding placement disruptions
and their relationship to length of stay in foster care,
children’s behavioral problems, re-entry into care
and kinship care. The training describes common patterns
of multiple placements and their implications for child
welfare practices. The training presents strategies for
reducing multiple placements and stabilizing children/youth
in placement, and discusses the emotional impact of various
types of placement moves.
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Training for Trainers
In collaboration with Linda Katz, one of the earliest innovators of concurrent
planning practice, Institute staff have developed a four-day concurrent planning
curriculum and practice manual. On-site consultation as well as a four-day
curriculum led by two trainers with extensive child welfare experience is available
to help states develop their own concurrent planning program.
Products:
- Concurrent Planning Training for Child Welfare Workers
- Concurrent Planning Manual Concurrent Planning "Train the Trainers",
practice manual and curriculum
- System change consultation
Concurrent
Planning
Concurrent planning is a specific set of
strategies designed to achieve the goal of permanence for children
most at risk of foster care drift. Developed in the 1980’s
by Linda Katz and others, concurrent planning involves early and
consistent attention to permanence and stability throughout the
life of a case.
This one day training reviews the Adoption
and Safe Families Act (ASFA) as well Child and Family Service
Review(CFSR) standards. Concurrent planning principles and
outcomes are taught. Specific skills related to concurrent
planning are practiced using a variety of engaging and interactive
training methods.
Learning objectives include (a) increased
understanding of ASFA and CFSR (b) increased understanding
of the principles of concurrent planning (c) skill development
in strengths based engagement (d) skill development in
early prognostic assessment (e) exploration of concurrent
planning benefits and challenges using case scenarios (f)
practice in full disclosure interviewing (g) increased
knowledge of permanency resources (h) increased understanding
of the connection between visitation and permanence.
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For more information contact Karin Gunderson at kgund@u.washington.edu or
206-616-7424.
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