Concurrent Planning for Timely Permanency for Children - South Dakota

Defining Concurrent Planning

Citation: Foster Parent Handbook

From the handbook: A concurrent plan is a back-up plan addressing permanent placement of a child if the child cannot return home.

State Approaches to Concurrent Planning

Citation: Foster Parent Handbook

A concurrent-planning meeting (CPM) brings family members together with service providers to discuss and develop the concurrent plan. The CPM is held when a family group conference is not an option for the family. The meeting is focused on the needs of the child, and parent involvement with child protective services is not discussed. CPMs are held after the child has been in placement for approximately 4 to 5 months.

A child must have a written case plan completed within 60 days of entering care. Children who are developmentally appropriate, the parents or guardian, and the resource provider (kinship or foster parent) must be involved in completing the case plan. The purpose of the child assessment case plan is to provide a clear understanding of the child's strengths, needs, and related services considered necessary to address those needs and the suitability and safety of the resource provider. The case plan also is used to document the child's concurrent plan and the efforts toward finding suitable alternatives should reunification not occur. The case plan is evaluated every 6 months or when there is a change in placement.