Presides over the court. They evaluate whether a parent has completed their goals and is able to keep their child safe.
Kinship Family
A family that steps forward to foster a child that they are related to or is known by the child or the child's birth parents.
Permanency
think PERMANENT! When a child achieves this, they are placed with a family they will live with forever, and will receive love and care.
Foster Family
A family that a child can be temporarily placed with. This family will care for the child while the child's birth parents complete their goals (or "homework")
Social Worker/Caseworker
someone whose job it is to make sure a child is safe. If a child is not safe, they will find another situation for the child to live in.
15 months
The amount of time provided to parents to complete their Plan in order to have their child return to their care. **A child may be in care longer than this
Child Permanency Plan
A plan that identifies goals (or "homework") to complete in order for birth parents to have their children returned to them.
Termination of Parental Rights (TPR)
A parent no longer has their rights to their child, and is no longer legally the child's parent. This cannot be reversed!
Adoption
A child legally becomes part of a family, and the child will be forever loved, supported and cared for. This provides a child with ultimate permanency!
Foster Care
A child is placed outside of their home because a social worker and judge has determined their home with their birth parents is not safe at this time
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