Concurrent Planning for Timely Permanency for Children - Tennessee

Defining Concurrent Planning

Citation: Admin. Pol. & Proc. § 16.31

In policy:'Concurrent planning' is a method of case planning in which two permanency plan goals are implemented simultaneously in order to ensure the most expeditious permanence for children. Successful concurrent planning requires a clear delineation of roles and responsibilities throughout the planning process and full disclosure and support to the child and family team members. It is often utilized in cases in which the outcome of a sole permanency goal is uncertain.

State Approaches to Concurrent Planning

Citation: Ann. Code § 37-1-166(g)(6); Admin. Pol. & Proc. § 16.31(E), (M)

Reasonable efforts to place a child for adoption or with a legal guardian may be made concurrently with reasonable efforts to preserve and reunify the family.

In policy: Concurrent planning is the identification and active pursuit of more than one permanency goal at the same time and can help expedite the achievement of permanency. Caseworkers fully disclose all concurrent-planning information with parents, foster parents, and other child and family team members regarding timeframes, expectations, services, and court actions. The caseworker includes identification of appropriate in-State and out-of-State placement options as part of the concurrent-planning process.

Each child in State custody has an identified permanency plan goal or concurrent permanency goals. At the annual permanency hearing, the court reviews the appropriateness of the established goal(s) and reviews progress that has been made toward achieving the permanency goal(s). Services provided to the child and/or family also are reviewed.