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FOURTH NATIONAL YOUTH PERMANENCY CONVENING

FOURTH NATIONAL YOUTH PERMANENCY CONVENING. APRIL 28, 2005 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT. THE JUVENILE COURT IS MANDATED TO ACCOMPLISH THREE GOALS: (1) KEEP CHILDREN SAFE (2) GIVE PARENTS A FAIR CHANCE TO REUNIFY WITH CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN REMOVED.

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FOURTH NATIONAL YOUTH PERMANENCY CONVENING

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  1. FOURTH NATIONAL YOUTH PERMANENCY CONVENING APRIL 28, 2005 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

  2. THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT • THE JUVENILE COURT IS MANDATED TO ACCOMPLISH THREE GOALS: • (1) KEEP CHILDREN SAFE • (2) GIVE PARENTS A FAIR CHANCE TO REUNIFY WITH CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN REMOVED. • (3) ENSURE TIMELY PERMANENCY FOR CHILDREN UNDER JUVENILE COURT JURISDICTION

  3. THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT • “PERMANENCY” MEANS (1) RETURN TO A PARENT (2) ADOPTION (3) GUARDIANSHIP (4) PLACEMENT WITH A RELATIVE LAST CHOICE: FOSTER CARE OR GROUP HOME

  4. THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT • “TIMELY” MEANS WITHIN ONE YEAR, OR, IN SOME CASES, WITHIN SIX MONTHS.

  5. THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT • SOCIAL WORKERS HAVE DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO MAKE: (1) WHETHER TO REMOVE A CHILD FROM PARENTAL CARE. (2) WHAT SERVICES WOULD PREVENT REMOVAL? (3) WHERE SHOULD A CHILD BE PLACED ONCE REMOVED? (4) WHAT SERVICES SHOULD PARENTS BE OFFERED IN ORDER TO REGAIN CUSTODY OF THEIR CHILD?

  6. THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT • (5) WHETHER IT IS SAFE TO RETURN A CHILD TO PARENTAL CARE. • (6) WHAT THE PERMANENT PLAN FOR A CHILD SHOULD BE WHO CANNOT RETURN TO A PARENT.

  7. THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT • THE JUVENILE COURT JUDGE MUST REVIEW ALL OF THESE ACTIONS/DECISIONS BY A SOCIAL WORKER…….. AND • THE JUVENILE COURT JUDGE MUST MAKE CERTAIN THAT PARENTS AND THE CHILD RECEIVE DUE PROCESS OF LAW…….AND

  8. THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT • THE JUDGE MUST MAKE CERTAIN THAT ALL OF THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE IN A TIMELY FASHION.

  9. THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT • JUDGES RECOGNIZE THAT FOR YEARS THE JUVENILE COURT HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF THE PROBLEM. • COURTS PROCEEDINGS CAN EASILY BE DELAYED. • ONE CRITICAL ROLE OF THE JUDGE IS TO ENSURE THAT CASES MOVE WITHIN STATUTORY TIMELINES

  10. THE ROLE OF THE JUDGE • COURTS MUST ENSURE THAT ALL HEARINGS ARE HELD WITHIN STATUTORY TIMELINES. • COURTS MUST INQUIRE ABOUT: • (1) PATERNITY • (2) RELATIVES • (3) INDIAN HERITAGE

  11. THE ROLE OF THE JUDGE • JUDGES AND ALL COURT PARTICIPANTS MUST TREAT EACH CASE AS THOUGH IT WERE AN EMERGENCY….. BECAUSE IT IS!

  12. THE ROLE OF THE JUDGE • ONE EFFECTIVE PRACTICE IS TO REVIEW A CHILD’S CASE MORE FREQUENTLY THAN THE STATUTES REQUIRE. • ANOTHER IS TO RESTRICT CONTINUANCE REQUESTS BY ALL PARTIES.

  13. THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT • IT IS NO FUN HAVING A JUDGE REVIEW EVERY STEP YOU TAKE AS A SOCIAL WORKER…..BUT IT’S THE LAW.

  14. THE ROLE OF THE JUVENILE COURT • GOOD NEWS!!! • MORE PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO FOSTER CHILDREN…AND • THERE HAVE BEEN MANY IMPROVEMENTS IN COURT AND AGENCY PRACTICE OVER THE PAST 5 – 10 YEARS.

  15. SANTA CLARA COUNTY IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY WE ARE TRYING TO IMPROVE PRACTICE EVERY DAY

  16. SANTA CLARA COUNTY WE HAVE MULTIPLE COURT SYSTEMS MEETINGS EVERY MONTH

  17. SANTA CLARA COUNTY • THESE MEETINGS ADDRESS: • (1) COURT SYSTEMS ISSUES • (2) PERMANENCY PLANNING ISSUES • (3) EDUCATIONAL ISSUES FACING FOSTER CHILDREN • (4) CASA/COURT SYSTEMS MEETINGS • AND, IN ADDITION, WE HAVE A SYSTEM-WIDE, MONTHLY CROSS-TRAINING.

  18. SANTA CLARA COUNTY FAMILY FINDING • Our commitment to finding permanency for children has led us to develop new attitudes and practices: • Family Finding • Wrap Around Services • Team Decision Making • Joint Response

  19. FAMILY FINDING • A NEW WAY OF LOOKING AT FAMILY • AND A NEW METHODOLOGY

  20. FAMILY FINDING • HOW MANY LIVING RELATIVES DO WE EACH HAVE? • HOW MANY ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE TYPICAL CHILD PROTECTION CASE?

  21. FAMILY FINDING • WE ARE COMMITTED TO FINDING FAMILIES • WE ENCOURAGE A NEW ATTITUDE AND NEW TECHNOLOGY REGARDING FINDING FAMILIES • “SOCIAL SERVICES ON STEROIDS” • OR • MISSION-DRIVEN MOTIVATION

  22. FAMILY FINDING: OBSTACLES • Typical social work practice stops family finding at the immediate biological family. • Judges/attorney/GAL’s don’t ask. • We assume the family of a parent in prison can’t be a resource for the child. • Challenging Behaviors discourage us • Non-family placements are easier • These decisions are made based on a lack of understanding of the developmental needs of children.

  23. FAMILY FINDING • FROM A BIOLOGICAL -- DNA PERSPECTIVE, FAMILY PLACEMENTS ARE SAFER THAN NON- FAMILY PLACEMENTS • FAMILY MEMBERS ARE MORE WILLING TO “GO THE EXTRA MILE” FOR A CHILD THEY SHARE DNA WITH.

  24. FAMILY FINDINGSEARCH TOOLS • Child Welfare Record Review • Family Ancestry Chart • Internet Sites for locating persons • www.familysearch.org (Mormon Church) • www.geneologytoday.com • www.people-finder.com • www.ancestry.com • www.obituary.com (deceased relative information)

  25. FAMILY SEARCH TOOLS • Peopleprofileusa.com • usatrace.com (search by name SS#) • People-data.com • Social Security Death Index • Reunitetonight.com • Myfamily.com • Intelius.com

  26. FAMILY SEARCH TOOLS • Prison Locater Services • American Red Cross • Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) • Inter-State Compact for the Placement of Children • International Social Services • (BALTIMORE – 410-230-2730 • BE INSPIRED BY ANTWONE FISHER AND SHANE SHALTER

  27. FAMILY FINDING • Our Children’s Services Agency has created a unit that deals exclusively with finding relatives. • The Agency has concluded that children will be better served when family members are located. • This is consistent with the philosophy underlying Family Group Conferencing.

  28. FAMILY FINDING • The Children’s Services Unit is called • RELATIVE FINDING ASSESSMENT UNIT • SUPERVISOR: Leiam Rodarte (408) 975-5148 Rodartel@cws.co.santa-clara.ca.us

  29. FAMILY FINDING • THESE PRACTICES MUST BE TAKEN STATEWIDE. • AB 880 (COHN) WOULD DO THIS. • BASED ON WASHINGTON STATE LAW, AB 880 WOULD REQUIRE RELATIVE SEARCH IN EVERY CASE. • IT WOULD REQUIRE THE STATE TO TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN DEVELOPING RELATIVE FINDING TECHNOLOGY

  30. FAMILY FINDING • THE RESULTS IN WASHINGTON OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS HAVE BEEN A DOUBLING OF RELATIVE PLACEMENTS.

  31. PERMANENCY: EMERGING ISSUES • IDENTIFICATION AND CONTACT WITH SIGNIFICANT OTHERS • Some states require social workers to identify important persons in the child’s life. • The legislatures in those states have determined that connecting with significant others is important to children in out-of-home care

  32. PERMANENCY: EMERGING ISSUES • DIMENSIONS OF CONNECTEDNESS: • HEART: Who do you love? Who loves you? Who do you want to love you? • MIND: Who teaches you? What are you learning? Who do you teach? Who do you think about?

  33. PERMANENCY: EMERGING ISSUES • BODY: Who shares your blood? Does anybody share your body? Who provides you with food and shelter? • SOUL: To what or whom is your soul connected? What or who are your passions?

  34. PERMANCYCY: EMERGING ISSUES COLOR CODES FOR THE LINES • RED is for the heart. • GREEN is for the fertile and creative mind. • BLUE is for the blood that runs in the veins (body). • YELLOW is for the light of the soul.

  35. CONNECTEDNESS CHART

  36. CONCLUSION The best results will come from leadership within the Children’s Services Agency. • After all, they are charged by state and federal statute to provide timely permanency for children.

  37. CONCLUSION • Judges must take a leadership role in monitoring permanency for children. • This is the judge’s legal responsibility.

  38. PERMANENCY- CONCLUSION • ESTABLISH A MONTHLY MEETING TO ADDRESS PERMANENCY ISSUES. • THE JUDGE SHOULD CONVENE THE MEETING. • MEMBERS SHOULD INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL PARTIES IN THE DEPENDENCY SYSTEM.

  39. PERMANENCY: CONCLUSION • AGENDA • (1) PERMANENCY ISSUES • (2) THE ADOPTION PROCESS • (3) EMANCIPATION ISSUES • (4) CONNECTING FOSTER CHILDREN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. • ANY OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUE THAT HAS TO DO WITH PERMANENCY.

  40. PERMANENCY: CONCLUSION • TIMELY PERMANENCY FOR OUR YOUTH WILL ONLY BE ACHIEVED IF YOUR JURISDICTION MAKES IT A PRIORITY. • PERSUADE YOUR LEADERS TO MEET REGULARLY ABOUT PERMANENCY. • IMPROVEMENTS WILL FOLLOW FROM ORGANIZATIONAL STEPS AND YOUR COMMITMENT.

  41. CONTACT INFORMATION • LEONARD EDWARDS • ledwards@scscourt.org

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