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Youth Permanency

Safety, permanency, and well-being are goals for all children and youth, especially for those in foster care. Helping youth leave foster care to live with legal, permanent families is a key strategy in achieving these goals. Assisting youth in establishing and nurturing permanent, caring connections to responsible adults also supports these goals.

• Strategies and Programs
• Spotlight on Adoption
• Supporting Youth in Foster Care
• Youth Perspectives
• Outcomes for Emancipated Youth

For many years, the Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has supported child welfare professionals in their work to find permanent families for youth in foster care. These efforts include supporting new Federal legislation, funding demonstration programs, raising awareness, coordinating training and technical assistance, supporting collaboration and partnerships, and disseminating positive results and strategies.

The Children's Bureau funds several national resource centers to carry out this work; these organizations offer many resources to support permanency for adolescents:

AdoptUsKids

National Child Welfare Resource Center for Adoption

National Child Welfare Resource Center for Youth Development

National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues

National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency Planning

For data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System, including permanency goals and outcomes for children and youth in foster care, view Adoption and Foster Care Statistics from the Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Updated on September 18, 2008