The Permanency Teaming Process

More child welfare systems are routinely involving families in case planning and decision making. Casey Family Services is finding success with its Permanency Teaming Process, which was developed to help ensure that all young people leave foster care with lasting family relationships.

Permanency Teaming is based on a hypothesis: By building strong family relationships, young people will have the necessary foundation on which to build their lives. They won’t be “stuck” in foster care or institutions. They won’t face the devastating outcomes associated with running away from or “aging out” of foster care without family. They won’t reunify temporarily with family, only to re-enter foster care.

As part of its practice with children involved in foster care, Casey Family Services involves young people and parents, family, and significant adults – a young person’s “natural network” – in a planning and decision-making process about a child’s future. A Casey social worker helps to build a team around a particular youth, “John’s Team” for example, and works with the team to address John’s needs for safety, well-being, and family.

Permanency Teaming is rooted in a belief that all families have strengths, are experts on their own lives, and can make well-informed decisions about keeping their children safe. Not only can outcomes for young people improve when families are involved on Permanency Teams, but collaboration can result in better solutions than when responsibility rests on one person or agency alone. Teaming respects parents’ and relatives’ commitment to a young person; it lets a child know he or she is valued; it connects the child with his or her culture and history; it values every team member for what they can contribute, rather than excluding them for what they cannot.

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