Brief
The purpose of this brief is to draw attention to the issue of post-permanency with its focus on the family, and move attention away from re-entry, which focuses on the system. Addressing the gaps in post-permanency practices will strengthen families and prevent children from re-entering care. There are many ways to support families after exiting foster care, including establishing clear funding streams for the most effective post-permanency supports, standardizing data elements to examine who does and does not re-enter care, and conducting rigorous research to identify what has helped…
Juvenile court judges are uniquely able to influence the health and well-being of children in foster care by asking about a child's health status and special needs, ordering appropriate assessments and services, and ensuring that identified needs are addressed through the child's court-ordered case plan. Judges can require that attorneys, caseworkers, and caregivers bring detailed information about a child's health to court. This booklet provides an overview of important health issues for children and youth in foster care. The appendix provides three downloadable age-appropriate forms that…
Brief
Promising occupations for at-risk youth provide sufficient compensation and could put them on a path to becoming independent adults. To identify promising occupations, this brief examined four key features: 1) median earnings level, 2) education and training pre-requisites, 3) projected growth in labor-market demand, and 4) potential for individual advancement. Based on these criteria, opportunities in two fields are highlighted -- health care and construction. A number of work-based learning and career pathway programs are also discussed, including ACF's Health Profession Opportunity Grants…
The adoptive father contributes to the development of his adopted child by supporting the adoptive mother as she cares for the child, by promoting attachments within the family, and by helping the child understand the circumstances of the adoption and his or her relationship with the biological parents. This chapter reviews cultural attitudes about the purpose of adoption and the father's role throughout history. The discussion contrasts ancient and cultural attitudes about adoption as a method for achieving status with contemporary perceptions of adoption as a response to the needs and wants…
Brief
This brief explains culture defines the values, beliefs, and practices surrounding when and how youth transition to adulthood, and presents a checklist to provide medical home teams with a tool to facilitate the programmatic and organizational change necessary to respond effectively to culturally defined beliefs, practices, and preferences and the inherent issues they raise in the provision of health care and related services for youth and their families. Characteristics of culturally competent organizations are described, and six core elements of health care transition are identified. The…
