National Adoption Month: How the child welfare workforce can better support children and families
November is National Adoption Month, a time when we often focus on how adoption can provide a permanent home for children and teens in foster care. But it’s important to remember that adoption isn’t always the best or only option for permanency. For many children and families, other solutions—such as reunification, kinship care, or guardianship—can be better choices. These options help maintain family connections and support long-term stability.
Why it’s important to explore alternatives to adoption
While adoption can provide permanency for some children, it also brings big changes and, in many cases, loss for the child. Child welfare professionals should focus on working with children and families to understand what they think are the best options for permanency.
Reunification is often the best outcome when it’s safe for the child. It focuses on returning children to their birth families when the family has the support and resources they need, like help with housing, jobs, or parenting skills.
Kinship care is another important option. It means placing children with relatives or close family friends who can offer a stable, loving home. This keeps children connected to their family and community, helping them feel like they belong and understand their own identity.
Guardianship allows a child to live with a family member or close friend without cutting ties to their birth family. In some cases, guardianship can help meet the child’s emotional and relational needs.
How the workforce can support children and families in permanency planning
- Prioritize family connections: Always try to reunify families or place children with relatives before turning to adoption.
- Provide support for reunification: Help families access the resources they need to overcome challenges and safely bring their children home. These can include housing, employment, child care, and connection to the community.
- Encourage family involvement: Work with families to create permanency plans that match their values and goals.
- Use evidence-based programs: Programs like family-finding and kinship navigator programs can help identify and support extended family members who are willing to care for children.
Listening to those with lived expertise in foster care and adoption
Children, teens, and families who have been through foster care and adoption can offer valuable insights into what permanency means to them. By listening to their stories, child welfare professionals can make better decisions focusing on long-term stability and meaningful connections.
Here are a few ways to include lived expertise:
- Include their voices in permanency planning: Engage children, teens, and families in discussions about their permanency plans, making sure their thoughts and needs are taken into account when deciding about adoption or other permanency options.
- Learn from their challenges and successes: By understanding the experiences of those who have gone through the system, professionals can see what has worked well and where improvements are needed, helping to create better practices for permanency planning.
- Provide peer support opportunities: Involve people with lived experience as mentors or support guides, allowing them to share their journey and offer advice to others going through permanency planning.
Partner with CWEL to develop permanency-focused leaders
We invite you to partner with CWEL to create better, more personalized permanency solutions for children and families in your community. Our approach focuses on recruiting and retaining child welfare professionals who are not only skilled but also deeply committed to connecting with and supporting children and families as they navigate the child welfare system.
While adoption is an important option, it shouldn’t always be the first choice for every child. By exploring alternatives like reunification, kinship care, and guardianship, we can more effectively meet the unique needs of children and families. National Adoption Month is the perfect time to reflect on these alternatives and emphasize solutions that prioritize preserving family relationships, stability, and the well-being of children.
Reach out to us to learn how you can build a stronger, permanency-focused workforce that better supports the children and families in your community.
