Relational Permanency

Speaker: Elizabeth Wynter

We are not meant to go through this world alone. Youth and young adults just like us long for belonging, acceptance and love. The Adoptions and Safe Families Act of 1997 laid out the three primary goals of child welfare. Those are safety, permanency, and well-being. And yet, when we talk about permanency in child welfare, we're often referring to legal permanency that come with legal statuses such as adoptions, guardianship or reunification. And yet many young people don't find legal permanency to be their preferred, or even a viable option. So we need to talk about relational permanency. Relational permanency involves genuine emotional connections that are really vital for young people's well-being. And these are connections with what can be called naturally occurring mentors. These are connections with teachers and coaches, with CASA volunteers and foster parents, with child welfare professionals and other folks that they love, our young people love, and who love them. By placing relational permanency above legal permanency, we can create transformative environment with lasting emotional connections for our youth. This investment is a protective shield, empowering young people to face adulthood with the support that they need. By weaving relational permanency into the fabric of our youth well-being system, we fortify its core with resilience, compassion and understanding.