SWAN’s purpose is to facilitate timely permanency for children and youth in the state’s county children and youth system by bringing together all the people in the process who can make a difference. The network is comprised of children and youth services agencies; juvenile court judges; attorneys; paralegals; advocates; permanency professionals; birth, resource and adoptive parents; private foster and adoption agencies, state administrators and policy makers.
One of the beliefs underlying SWAN is that communication and collaboration among all participants in the system help move children and youth towards permanency faster and more successfully. The intent of this toolkit is to provide an easily accessible, user-friendly, comprehensive resource for the network.
The toolkit offers a rich account of the foundation and fundamentals of permanency practice. Permanency policy and best practice principles in Pennsylvania are detailed, as is current legislation about permanency work. Many permanency resources throughout Pennsylvania and beyond are provided and described here. The toolkit contains information you need to understand your role and responsibilities within the permanency process and to let you know about and help you access the available resources. As laws, policies, regulations and practices within permanency change, this toolkit will also be updated so it will remain current.
This toolkit is not intended as a substitute for the polices set forth in the Office of Children, Youth and Families, OCYF, Bulletin #3350-03-01, Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network Policies and Procedures (SWAN).