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May 2003Vol. 4, No. 4Experts Convene to Promote Permanence for Older Children, Adolescents

As part of its Youth Permanency Project, the Stuart Foundation hosted a convening of experts in April 2002 to explore permanence as a way to address the difficulties often experienced by children who age out of the foster care system.

This meeting built on a 1999 Permanency Think Tank at the National Resource Center for Youth Development (see Related Items at the end of this article). Participants in the convening:

  • Developed a list of components essential to a definition of youth permanency.
  • Discussed historical and current barriers to youth permanence.
  • Reviewed current research related to permanency and discussed its limitations.
  • Assessed practice, policy, and organizational strategies.
  • Developed specific strategies to build a strong foundation for best practices and policy in this area.

Since the convening, work groups have met to address issues of policy, practice, and funding in California and Washington (where the Stuart Foundation concentrates its funding) and on a national level. A second, larger group met on April 10 and 11, 2003, to hear about the work groups' progress and discuss possibilities for ongoing funding.

A summary of the 2002 proceedings can be found on the Stuart Foundation website at www.stuartfoundation.org/convening.html.

For more information, contact Pat Reynolds-Harris at (510) 562-8472 or patrh@sbcglobal.net.

Related Items

  • Read about the 1999 Permanency Think Tank in "National Resource Center for Youth Development Publishes Adolescent Permanency Report" in the September 2000 issue of Children's Bureau Express.
  • Learn more about the "National Resource Center for Youth Development" in this issue of Children's Bureau Express.
  • Read about outcomes in "Youth Aging Out of Foster Care Face Uphill Climb to Adulthood" also in this issue.