Get the team involved

How to get the team involved

There are always additional adults in a youth’s life who can encourage and support their engagement. Youth should hear from every adult in their life that they deserve permanency.

Bring everyone around the goal of finding permanency

In addition to caseworkers, a youth’s team can include a number of other adults, for example, foster parents, housing staff, therapists, and CASAs. All of these team members want what’s best for the youth. Help them see their role in support of youth achieving permanency. Ask members of a youth’s team to affirm and support a youth’s engagement by, for example:

• Affirming youth when they decide to be involved in permanency planning.
• Congratulating the youth on creating a profile to share with potential families.
• Asking the youth what they’re looking for in a family.
• Listening to the youth and affirming their feelings about permanency.
• Advocating for the youth with potential families, through arranged conversations or recordings.

Have a youth’s caregiver pick up conversations about potential homes

Conversations about specific homes or what youth want in a home don’t have to start and end with you, their caseworker. Adults whom youth see day-to-day can also engage with them. Youth may feel more open to talking with a foster parent or a staff person at their placement who has had more time to build rapport with them. Those adults may have insight into how permanency discussions affect the youth. If these interactions are going to be shared with you, make sure the youth knows and approves it. When a youth’s team of adults isn’t on the same page about permanency, the risk of sharing incorrect or outdated information is much higher.

Involve their mental health professional when appropriate

Sometimes a youth’s therapist can help them explore their feelings about permanency. A therapist may also advise on the need to slow down a permanency search to focus on a youth’s mental health and stability. They often have unique insight and can be a reliable voice to relay what a youth is currently going through.