Establishing Commitment: The Permanency Pact

One of the top priorities in the work you do with youth is assisting them in identifying supportive adults who can be resources during and beyond foster care. When these connections are made, a commitment on the part of the supportive adult should be established.

One of the ways to create this commitment is through a Permanency Pact. FosterClub, a national network for youth in foster care, provides a free tool called the “Permanency Pact” which aims to facilitate life-long connections between youth and supportive adults. The tool along with the guide outlines how to develop a Permanency Pact and suggests forty-five ways that an adult may be a support to a youth. This tool also provides a certificate that can be used to capture the commitment of an adult to provide a specified support(s) to a youth. The goal of the certificate is to have supports documented to increase the likelihood of follow-through on behalf of the youth and the adult listed in the Pact.

In the Professional Development Program (PDP) training, “Permanency Options for Youth in Care”, participants practice using the FosterClub Permanency Pact tool and explore the different types of support youth may need as they transition from foster care.

Think about the kinds of support you had when you were younger. Maybe you went to one adult with career or finance questions and to a different adult for relationship advice or emotional support. There are many ways that a supportive adult can be there for youth, especially as they transition out of foster care. These adults may commit to a specific need or multiple needs. 

Examples of these commitments may be:

• An emergency housing option
• A place to do laundry
• Support when looking for community resources
• A mentor
• A source for financial advice
• Help when looking for a job
• A source of motivation
• Support when self-advocating

For more information about this topic, contact the Youth Engagement Specialist (YES) in your region and check out the PDP training “Permanency Options for Youth in Care”. To access the FosterClub Permanency Pact tool go to https://www.fosterclub.com/sites/default/files/Permanency%20Pact_0.pdf.