Glossary of Terms

A model developed by Kevin Campbell to locate and engage relatives of children in out-of-home care with a goal of providing those children with a permanent placement or lifelong connections. True family finding includes ongoing diligent searches for relatives and kin and then engaging and(...)

A method of bringing family members together in a family-focused, culturally-sensitive approach to develop a safety, reunification or alternate permanency plan for children who are in foster care, who are at risk for entering foster care or who are already in care and in danger of aging out(...)

A way of preserving family unity by providing services to children and families in their home. It is based on the standard that the birth family is the preferred family life for children.

The strengths-based social study and preparation of an individual or couple who wishes to provide permanency. The purpose of the document is to determine the individual or couple’s ability to provide safety, nurturing and commitment to a child.  Note: This was previously known as Home Study in(...)

A plan that is developed in collaboration the family and the CCYA. The Family Service Plan (FSP) should never be developed in isolation. The CCYA must involve the parents, child, youth, relatives, kin and other stakeholders to develop the FSP. The plan must include identifying information(...)

A model developed by Kevin Campbell to locate and engage relatives of children in out-of-home care with a goal of providing those children with a permanent placement or lifelong connections. True family finding includes ongoing diligent searches for relatives and kin and then engaging and(...)

A method of bringing family members together in a family-focused, culturally-sensitive approach to develop a safety, reunification or alternate permanency plan for children who are in foster care, who are at risk for entering foster care or who are already in care and in danger of aging out(...)

Situations in which the county agency has legal custody of the child, and out of home placement is made with a kinship caregiver who is an approved foster parent by a licensed foster family care agency.

An individual or couple who has temporary care of a child but has no legal rights in determining many aspects of a child’s life.

An approved or licensed family providing foster care or formal kinship care who now intends to adopt a child who was placed in their home as a foster child.

A plan that is developed in collaboration the family and the CCYA. The Family Service Plan (FSP) should never be developed in isolation. The CCYA must involve the parents, child, youth, relatives, kin and other stakeholders to develop the FSP. The plan must include identifying information(...)

The process of providing clear, objective information to parents about the rights, responsibilities and expectations of all members of the permanency team. It must include information on the impact of out-of-home placement on children and the urgency of placing children in permanent living(...)

When any party, or the court itself, seeks a change in the current permanency/placement goal identified for the child; goals include reunification with their family; placement with an adoptive family; placement with a legal custodian /permanent legal custodian ; placement with a fit and(...)