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Overview of CA Child Welfare Adoption Practice

Overview of CA Child Welfare Adoption Practice. Welcome!!!. Goals of training. Impart the philosophy that all children deserve family connection and permanence. Discuss that there are several paths to permanency – adoption in just one of the paths . Exploration of feelings.

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Overview of CA Child Welfare Adoption Practice

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  1. Overview of CA Child Welfare Adoption Practice

  2. Welcome!!!

  3. Goals of training • Impart the philosophy that all children deserve family connection and permanence. • Discuss that there are several paths to permanency – adoption in just one of the paths. • Exploration of feelings

  4. Learning Objectives • Knowledge • Things we want you to know, learn, or acquire • Skills • Things we want you to be able to do/ demonstrate • Values • Things we want you to feel is important and incorporate in practice

  5. Parking Lot

  6. Federal and State Regulations & other important Codes • Social Security Act • Child Abuse and Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) • Adoptions and Safe Families Act (ASFA) • Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) • Multi-Ethnic Placement Act (MEPA) • (Safe & Timely) Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) • Adam Walsh Child Safety & Protection ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New(er) Laws • AB 1856 - Providing Safe, Supportive homes for LGBTQ youth • AB458 - The California Foster Care Non-Discrimination Act

  7. Federal and State Regulations & other important Codes Title XXII Regulations • http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/ord/PG308.htm • Welfare & Institutions Codes (WIC) • 366.26 • 366.3 • 16115 – 16125 (AAP) • 366.24

  8. Center for Social Services Research- California

  9. Center for Social Services Research- Add County Name

  10. State and County Adoption Statistics (CSSR) • INSTRUCTIONS • Go to http://cssr.berkeley.edu/ucb_childwelfare/ • Click on the Foster Care button • Click on the Adoption button • Select C2.1 – Adoption within 24 months (exit cohort) • Select the most recent time period (or another time period) • Click the next button • Click the finish button

  11. AFCARS Staff MUST provide complete, accurate, and timely data in order to avoid federal penalties These items have been problematic in the past: • Actions or Conditions Associated with Child’s Removal. • Death or Incarceration of Parent(s). • Create/Continue a Hearing Date. • Hispanic Designation. • Case Plan Goals. • Financial Aid Documentation/Foster Care Payments. • Foster Caretaker/Substitute Care Provider Data. • Caretaker Family Structure/Foster Family Structure • Caretakers’ Birth Date. • Clinically Diagnosed Disability(ies).

  12. Identifying Values Related to Permanency & Adoptions • Questions about Permanency • Children are unsuitable for permanency when… • Adopted children and children under guardianship are… • When considering placing a child outside his/her geographic region, I am most concerned about… • When formulating a permanency plan for a teen-ager, adoption is…

  13. Assumptions about Permanency • Adoption and guardianship are different from birth families. • Adjustment to non-birth parent permanency is a lifelong process. • Adopted children and those under guardianship bring genes, birth experience, family ties, and life history to the permanency family. • Adoptive/guardianship parents, biological parents, and children share a sense of loss. • Permanency is a service on the continuum of protective services to children. • All children who are unable to return to their own home should be considered for permanency.

  14. Types of Permanency Options Placement Preferential Order • Remain safely in birth home • Placement with Relatives or Extended Non-relative (mentor) • Foster Family Home • Foster Family Agency Home • Group Home (institution care) The lowest level of care must used based on the needs of the child. Once a child is placed out of home, we must look toward placing a child in a placement that can offer a permanency plan should reunification not be successful .

  15. Reunification Timelines • Reunification Timelines • California Timelines

  16. Benefits to Adoption • Connection • Information • Birth Families Care • Not a Threat • Know the Outcome • Feel more Authentic • Healthier Relationships

  17. Caregiver/Child Matching • Caretaker Suitability • Child Match Characteristics • Consideration of Kin

  18. Caregiver/Child Matching • Caregiver – Child Matching • Successful Characteristics of Adoptive Parents • Successful Characteristics of Special needs adoptive families

  19. Home Study • Philosophy Shift • The SAFE Model • Structured • Analysis • Family • Evaluation ACTIVITY – Python Home Study

  20. 7 Core Issues of Adoption • Loss, • Rejection, • Guilt/Shame, • Grief, • Identity, • Intimacy & Relationships, • Control/Gains http://www.adoptionsupport.org/res/7core.php

  21. 7 Core Issues of Adoption • Psychosocial Model of Adoption Adjustment • Adoption as a Risk Factor

  22. 7 Core Issues of Adoption • Attachment/Reaction to Separation and Loss • Impact of Abuse and Neglect

  23. 7 Core Issues of Adoption • Placement Moves: Impact on Children • Attachment • PTSD • Abuse, Stress & Anger

  24. 7 Core Issues of Adoption • The Brain’s Wiring • Impact of Loss and Placement VIDEO: Multiple Transitions

  25. Disclosure and Confidentiality • Full disclosure to all participants • Definition • Entitled parties • What Information should be disclosed? • Parental Relinquishment

  26. Adoptive Placement • Completing Adoptive & Placement Forms AD 512 JV285 AD67 AD67A Adopt 310 Adopt 330 • Adopt 331 • AD 904 • AD 904A • AD 904B • AD 908 • AD 908A

  27. Voluntary Relinquishment • Definition • Parental Advisement

  28. Voluntary Relinquishment • Social Worker Assessment • Adoption Worker Assessment • Assessment for Potential of Reunification

  29. Voluntary Relinquishment • Assessment for Potential of Reunification • Egregious Circumstances

  30. Voluntary Relinquishment • Permanency Planning Mediation • Most Commonly Asked Questions • Waiver of Reunification

  31. Voluntary Relinquishment • Substantial Probability of Return • Definition • Consistent contact and visitation • Significant progress • Capacity and ability to be a safe parent ACTIVITY

  32. Voluntary Relinquishment • Firm Timelines

  33. Voluntary Relinquishment • Parental Competency

  34. Special Topics • Safe Surrender

  35. Transitioning • Transition Tools • Photo Album • Family Video • Pre-Placement Calendar • Good-bye Letter • Candle Ceremony • Child’s List

  36. Transitioning • Needs and Fears

  37. Transitioning • Multiple Purposes of a Lifebook

  38. Transitioning Eco-Map • The Cover Story

  39. Transitioning • Adoption and Pre-Placement Plan

  40. Interviewing Children • Three Aspects of Parenting • Birth Parent • Legal Parent • Parenting Parent

  41. Interviewing Children • Talking to Children about their Birth Parents

  42. Interviewing Children • Talking to Children about Permanency

  43. Working with Birth Parents • Compelling Reasons not to Terminate Parental Rights

  44. Working with Birth Parents • Assessment of the Potential for Reunification

  45. Working with Birth Parents • Danielle’s Family

  46. Working with Birth Parents • What do families expect of the adoption process?

  47. Court Timelines & Adoption ACTIVITY

  48. Court Timelines & Adoption • Time to Finalization • 366.26 Reports • 361.5 Adoption Assessment

  49. Adoption Assistance Program • Federal subsidies were created by Congress (through Public Law 96-272-the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980) to encourage the adoption of special needs children and remove the financial disincentives for families to adopt. • The Legislature intended to benefit children in foster care by providing the security and stability of a permanent home through adoption. • Children may receive a federally funded subsidy under Title IV-E or a state funded subsidy per state guidelines.

  50. Definitions • Adoption Assistance Program (AAP): A program of financial and/or medical assistance to facilitate the adoption of children who otherwise would remain in long-term foster care. • Responsible Public Agency: The department or public adoption agency responsible for determining AAP eligibility, negotiating initial and subsequent AAP benefits and the reassessment process. • County: The income maintenance division in each county welfare department is responsible for federal eligibility determination and the payment of AAP benefits.

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