What is a permanency plan? If you are a foster parent you should be invited to these meetings. If you have a child in out of home care, you will attend them as well. I have one for Sammy on Friday morning, and it is being done differently than they normally are.

In a normal circumstance a permanency plan or a permanency “hearing” is to determine what is being done in order for the child to be able to return home.

In the case of the foster child, the birth parents actions will be examined. Each parent is given conditions or rules that they must follow in order for reunification to happen. These conditions are clearly spelled out in court papers to the parents.

Permanency plans are to be done every six months that the child is out of the home. I have been to hearings for Kory and Mackenzie as their foster mother, and for Sammy as his adoptive mother.

The point of the hearing is truly to see if reunification is an option. Once a child has been out of the home for fifteen of the last twenty two months, even if the months are not consecutive, the hearing should focus on termination of parental rights, and the adoptability of the child. As a foster parent, your input is to tell the board or panel how the child is doing and what the relationship between the birth parents and the child is like.

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  How have the child’s behaviors changed, either positive or negative?


• Are visits happening on a regular basis?



• How is the child after a visit occurs?



• How is the child doing academically (if applicable)?

The birth parents are given notification of the meeting. Some choose to attend, others choose not to. If you can not attend, be sure to pass along information to the case worker, so that it can be used at the hearing. If you do attend, choose your words carefully. You don’t want to be as an adversary, or that you are a barrier to reunification. Instead be honest and factual.

You may be asked whether you would be interested or willing to adopt the child should termination of parental rights be in the child’s best interest. Again, be factual and honest. Try to keep from being emotional.

If you have documentation that you feel will be helpful to the process, bring it along, and make several copies. There are usually several people there besides your case worker.

In my next blog, I’ll talk about permanency hearings for the child who is already adopted.

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