In child welfare, we often talk about “finding permanency for kids”—permanency being a lasting family connection, whether reunification, adoption, guardianship, or kinship care.
But permanency is built, not found.
The word “finding” assumes permanency already exists, fully formed and waiting to be discovered. It suggests that if we get better at putting the right youth in front of the right family, the rest will follow. It’s an appealing idea: introduce more people and help more kids exit foster care.
But that idea isn’t how placing young people with new families works. A good introduction is only the beginning.
More introductions don’t necessarily produce more permanency for youth. What happens after the introduction matters more: connecting, exploring, and deepening a relationship over time. That work is harder to see and harder to support, which is exactly why a system oriented around finding tends to fall short.
All the people involved—prospective parents, caseworkers, and youth themselves—build permanency together.
Matches are not placements waiting to happen.
Current connection technologies, like photolistings, provide “matches.” But matches are not placements waiting to happen. They narrow the field based on youth characteristics and family preferences. It is a first step.
We need to create a recruitment model and technology that:
- Help prospective parents develop youth-centered perspectives—a mind shift from “I want to grow my family through adoption” to “Which youth can I help the best?”
- Give caseworkers the time, information, and tools they need to begin deeper conversations with youth and potential families.
- Engage youth as participants in their own permanency planning.
These are some ideas we’ve been considering as we move away from photolisting and toward next-generation tools.
The next platforms must support better connection and communication. They should highlight the strengths of potential families; represent youth in all their interests, humor, resilience, and heart; and give caseworkers the information they need to make decisions.
The best tools we can envision won’t help youth find permanency. They’ll give families, professionals, and youth themselves what they need to build it together.
