February 2018Vol. 19, No. 1Postplacement Support Services for Adoptive, Foster, and Kinship Care Families
AdoptUSKids has compiled a primer on the 15 types of postplacement support services for adoptive, foster, and kinship care families. The support services fall into one of three categories (basic, enhanced, or more intensive).
Basic services include the following:
- Trauma-informed assessments for children and youth
- Information resources
- Navigation, advocacy, and referrals
- Training
- Birth family mediation and adoption search
Enhanced services include the following:
- Peer support
- Mentoring
- Supports for children and youth (e.g., cultural or recreational activities, job training and support)
- Case management
- Education support and advocacy
- Respite
- Camps or retreats
- Financial supports
More intensive support services apply to a much smaller target audience and typically address children and families with more challenging needs. They include the following:
- In-home or community-based therapeutic services or access to residential treatment
- Crisis intervention, including 24/7 hotlines, emergency respite care, and in-home crisis response teams
For more information on the different types of support services, Support Matters: Lessons From the Field on Services for Adoptive, Foster, and Kinship Care Families, is available at http://www.nrcdr.org/_assets/files/AUSK/support-matters/support-matters-resource-guide.pdf (112 KB).