NCJ Number
106246
Journal
On Behalf of Children Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Dated: (November 1986) Pages: 2-10
Editor(s)
J K O'Connor
Date Published
1986
Length
9 pages
Annotation
A permanency planning task force and a council of juvenile and family court judges of Oklahoma have examined the foster care and adoption systems in the State, and they have decided that community services to prevent family disruption are lacking; the Oklahoma Alliance for Children uses these findings in asking for volunteer help for deprived children.
Abstract
The Federal Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 withholds funding for child welfare services unless a State provides preplacement services, a reunification program designed to facilitate reunion of children with their families, and written and documented case plans specifying what services will be provided for each child placed out of its home. Judges are now urged to preserve the biological family unit with welfare services and to order removal only after developing a careful case plan to be reviewed at least every 6 months by the court. To avoid drifting into long-term and damaging substitute care, a child who cannot safely be returned to his family is to be freed for adoption. A new 'Fost-Adopt' plan has been created to help in this transition. Volunteers are asked to collect data on adoption and the effectiveness of present programs and to assist courts by independent screening, monitoring, and review of placements. Statistics from 1980 through 1986 on child abuse, foster homes applications and approvals, adoptive homes applications, and trial adoptions are included. 7 illustrations and 1 table. ABI mhr