Trauma-Informed Permanency: Critical Thinking and Adoption Home Studies

Level: Advanced Practice

Credits: 4 hours

Intended Audience: This course is intended for Adoption and Permanency Supervisors and Managers.

Description of Course: This class will help participants look at permanency of children in the foster care system through a trauma lens. Participants will have the opportunity to consider how Adoption State Regulations, the Relative Home Approval Process and the Foster Home Licensing process can coincide and keep the child’s best interest at heart. The course will also provide the opportunity to discuss and determine how an applicant’s history must be balanced with child attachments and long term planning.

Intended Objectives:

• Review the Home Study Requirements from the CA Adoption User’s Manual
• Describe how the Relative Home Approval and Foster Home Licensing Processes impact the Adoption Home Study Process
• Review the importance of reducing trauma in permanency planning while considering due diligence in reviewing applicant’s history
• Describe the Adoption Home Study Grievance process and how staff can balance concerns about liability with childhood trauma from separation of foster families and relative caregivers
• Identify ways to mitigate risk when staff are worried about long term planning for foster youth.

Topics Include:

• Historical Perspectives on Adoption and Foster Care and the Impact on Children and Families
• ASFA and AB636: Real Concurrent Planning; Placement Stability and Time to Permanency
• How to be a trauma informed agency while balancing permanency
• The Adoption Home Study Process: Purpose; State Regulations; Adam Walsh and Criminal/CWS History Waivers
• Writing Home Studies: Due diligence; objectivity; documentation of waivers, interviews, reference letters, etc.
• Withstanding the appeal process
• The concept of “Melding” or “Dual Licensure”