We have seen that, with focused effort, it is entirely possible to connect older youth with permanent adoptive families. This publication highlights successful strategies to break down barriers that block a youth’s path to permanency.

The family finding model provides child welfare practitioners intensive search and engagement techniques to identify family and other adults close to a child in foster care, and to involve these adults in developing and carrying out a plan for the emotional and legal permanency of the child.

The Guide to Working with Young Parents in Out of Home Care provides information and guidance for working with pregnant and parenting youth that are central to appropriate service delivery and the Family Team Conference practice model. The focus of this guide is to provide support to young pregnant and parenting youth, helping them as they develop both as individuals and as parents through positive casework interactions.

The process of bringing the supportive adult together with youth and developing a pledge or “Permanency Pact” has proven successful in clarifying the relationship and identifying mutual expectations. A committed, caring adult may provide a lifeline for a youth, particularly those who are preparing to transition out of foster care to life on their own.