County Project Management - a Case Study*

R01

The Grand Jury recommends that the Human Services Agency work more closely with all foster care parents by providing training on how to adopt a child, including the processes necessary for adoption and the actions needed to complete a home study. Implemented: Foster parents are expected to foster children during the reunification phase of their case. They may express an interest in adoption; however, reunification is the primary focus at the beginning of a case. A secondary permanency social worker is assigned to the case at the six-month mark, and this worker explains the adoption process on a case-by-case basis. With this approach, foster parent expectations of adoption are managed according to the case plan. In early 2015, HSA developed a new campaign called Foster VC Kids. Although this program was not presented to the Grand Jury during its research and investigation phase, the Foster VC Kids campaign was active in 2015 in designing and rolling out additional information sharing systems, resources and outreach to recruit and retain more high quality families. Activities included the development of more foster public education across Ventura County and access to new bilingual, web-based information about foster parenting and adoption. The Foster VC Kids website offers in-depth information about the foster and adoption process through the County and FFA partners. For more information, see www.fostervckids.org/adoption/. In addition, HSA offers monthly in-person and online recruitment informational meetings in locations throughout the county. These sessions cover the steps it takes to become a foster or adoptive parenting household and outline the support services that are offered. New foster families are also matched with an experienced Peer Partner Educator, a foster parent mentor who is able to guide and educate them on the practical matters of fostering. Current foster families may access online service portals that offer an array of resources and continued opportunities. For information, education more see www.fostervckids.org/training/.

R02

The Grand Jury recommends that the County of Ventura Board of Supervisors direct the HSA to work more closely with all other organizations involved in foster care and adoption to ensure there is communication and input from all parties concerned with the foster Foster Parents' input should be included in the Court child. proceedings; either by having them present or having HSA represent their interests. Partially Implemented: There are two components of this recommendation: 1) for HSA to work and communicate more closely with all other organizations involved in foster care and adoptions; and 2) for HSA to have present or represent Foster Parent in court proceedings. The first component has been implemented. HSA meets bimonthly with the Recruitment & Retention Community Partnership Committee to develop and support information sharing and caregiver recruitment with our five local FFAs and faith-based and secular community partners. This helps ensure consistency in information sharing and the development of shared recruitment and retention strategies. In 2014, Ventura County adopted the Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI). QPI comes out of the University of Delaware and is supported by the Casey Family Foundation as well as other leaders in child welfare. At the core of QPI is the concept that foster parents, birth parents and the county should act in partnership for the best interest of the child. HSA strives to treat foster parents as valued partners, and foster parents strive to assist with the care and nurture of the children in their home by providing positive transitions, partnership with the birth family when appropriate, and more. One of the main areas addressed by QPI is foster parent participation in court. Not only are foster parents encouraged to attend and participate in court hearings but social workers are asked to support foster parent participation in court. HSA has trained social workers and attorneys in this regard and has met with the juvenile court bench officers, the Honorable Bruce Young and the Honorable Tari Cody, regarding QPI and foster parents' rights to receive notices and be present in court. HSA supports and in some cases, facilitates networking groups for foster parents in several areas across the county. Each of these groups has regular trainings that include the topic of court participation. Foster parents are encouraged to attend court and speak with the child's attorney and/or to complete a JV-290 form giving the court information about the child. During the pre-service licensing training, foster parents are trained on their role in court and their ability to complete the JV-290 to give information to the court. There is a link in their training binders to this form, as well (Strength-Based Foster Parenting: Trauma-Informed Introductory Training Handbook and Resource Guide, Section 2, ). Beginning July 1, 2015, HSA will implement a new pre-service training that will be even more thorough with regard to foster parents' role in court. The second component of R-02 will not be implemented because it is not HSA's authority. While HSA may encourage foster parents to attend and participate in court hearings, the Legislature and the Court formally controls the access of foster parents to the legal proceedings. The Legislature has provided for input by foster parents in some circumstances. Foster parents may petition for "de facto" parent status before the court at the jurisdiction and disposition hearing and at any time thereafter (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 5.534(e)). Several judicial counsel forms are available to explain and facilitate the process for obtaining de facto parent status (see Judicial Council Forms JV-290, 290-INFO, 295, 296 and 299). The Court may allow de facto parents to represent themselves in court proceedings or appear by counsel; however, neither HSA nor County Counsel could ethically represent de facto parents in the dependency proceeding because they are duty bound to advocate for the best interests of the child, not the interests of other parties.

R03

The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors direct County Counsel to review the current age at which foster children are allowed input into the adoption process, raising it from age 9 to age 12. Will Not Be Implemented: The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not within the authority of County Counsel to do so and the recommendation is based on a faulty premise. Contrary to implications of FA-13 and R-03, County Counsel does not determine the age at which children can have input into adoption placement. That policy is determined by the Legislature and the Court. Welfare and Institutions Code, section 317, subdivision (e) provides that the child's counsel (not County Counsel) shall, if the child is four years of age or older, interview the child to determine the child's wishes and advise the court of the child's wishes. Welfare and Institutions Code section 366.3, subdivision (e)(2) provides that in connection with six- month placement hearings, the social worker must ask every child who is ten years of age or older and who has been in out-of-home placement for six months or longer to identify individuals other than the child's siblings who are important to the child. Welfare and Institutions Code section 366.21, subdivision (i) provides that for hearings regarding termination of parental rights and permanent placement, the agency shall prepare an assessment for the Court which includes a statement from the child concerning placement and the adoption or guardianship, and whether a child over twelve years of age, has been consulted about a proposed relative guardianship, unless the child's age or physical, emotional, or other condition precludes his or her meaningful response. County Counsel has no authority to change these, or other relevant statutory provisions; and County Counsel has no authority to interfere with a social worker's assessment whether a child of any age is able to provide a meaningful response concerning proposed adoption or guardianship. Ultimately, the weight given to any child's input on proposed adoption or guardianship is up to the Court and must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.