Glossary of Terms

Older Child Matching Initiative, OCMI:  SWAN-funded initiative that enables partnering agencies to hire full-time staff located throughout the state to provide no-cost child-focused recruitment and family finding services for youth within county custody who are over the age of 10 with a goal(...)

Older Child Matching Initiative, OCMI:  SWAN-funded initiative that enables partnering agencies to hire full-time staff located throughout the state to provide no-cost child-focused recruitment and family finding services for youth within county custody who are over the age of 10 with a goal(...)

An arrangement in which the adopted child maintains contact with or knowledge of his or her birth parents or other relatives.

PAE manages the statewide registries including the Waiting Child Registry, a listing of children in foster care in need of adoptive families; the Resource Family Registry, a listing of foster, adoptive and kinship families; and the Pennsylvania Adoption Information Registry where adoptees and(...)

PAIR is a medical and social history database maintained by the Department of Human Services. Adoptees and birth family members can register medical and social information and authorize the release of identifying or non-identifying information to adoptees and authorized family members.

A birth parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian.

PAE manages the statewide registries including the Waiting Child Registry, a listing of children in foster care in need of adoptive families; the Resource Family Registry, a listing of foster, adoptive and kinship families; and the Pennsylvania Adoption Information Registry where adoptees and(...)

PAIR is a medical and social history database maintained by the Department of Human Services. Adoptees and birth family members can register medical and social information and authorize the release of identifying or non-identifying information to adoptees and authorized family members.

PSRFA began as a small association in 1974 and has grown into a statewide association that advocates for all those who care about children and their families. PSRFA works supportively with foster, adoptive, and kinship families, and with local foster parent associations and agencies who care(...)

The establishment of an identified adult or family who has made a commitment to care for and to support a child up to and beyond the age of majority.  Permanency options as defined by ASFA in hierarchical order are as follows:  (1) return to the parent, (2) place for adoption, (3) placement(...)

Goal directed activities that help children and families be successful in adoption. It provides relationship continuity for children and nurturing and support for parents.

The three sided relationship among the birth parent, permanency parent, and child.

A permanency plan option for a child who is in the custody of the county agency and placed in substitute care. PLC is a recognized permanency goal. Once custody of a child is awarded to a permanent legal custodian, the child is considered to have achieved permanency.

A permanency plan option for a child who is in the custody of the county agency and placed in substitute care. PLC is a recognized permanency goal. Once custody of a child is awarded to a permanent legal custodian, the child is considered to have achieved permanency.