Abstract
Youth in foster care who have histories of grief, loss, and placement disruptions need trauma-informed programs that can help them maintain stable and consistent connections with supportive adults. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of staff who implemented a trauma-informed model called Intensive Permanence Services (IPS). We conducted qualitative interviews with staff (N = 7) who developed and implemented the IPS model and reviewed agency documents to identify the key characteristics of the model, the strategies staff used in their work with youth, and the challenges they faced to implementing IPS. Findings highlight these critical components: (1) using a youth-driven approach that prioritizes accountability to the youth and youth empowerment; (2) adopting an organizational culture of well-being using strategies such as secondary traumatic stress education, peer support, and structured supervision; and (3) promoting systems change for improved collaboration with all stakeholders, including the youth, families, caregivers, and other service providers. Overall, our findings stressed the importance of adopting a more holistic, trauma-informed, and youth-driven approach to improve permanence and well-being for youth in care.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahrens, K. R., DuBois, D. L., Richardson, L. P., Fan, M.-Y., & Lozano, P. (2008). Youth in foster care with adult mentors during adolescence have improved adult outcomes. Pediatrics, 121, e246–e252. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2007-0508.
Anu Family Services. (n.d.). Intensive Permanence Services. Retrieved from https://www.anufs.org/programs/intensive_permanence_services/.
Bramlett, M. D., & Radel, L. F. (2014). Adverse family experiences among children in nonparental care, 2011–2012 (National Health Statistics Report No. 74). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr074.pdf.
Campbell, K., & Turnell, A. (2014). It takes a village: Signs of safety and family finding aligning two parallel approaches [PDF Document]. Retrieved from http://familyfinding.org/assets/files/Signs%20of%20Safety%20meets%20Family%20Finding.pdf.
Collins, M. E., Spencer, R., & Ward, R. (2010). Supporting youth in the transition from foster care: Formal and informal connections. Child Welfare, 89, 125–143. Retrieved from http://www.cwla.org.
Cook, A., Spinazzola, J., Ford, J., Lanktree, C., Blaustein, M., Cloitre, M., … van der Kolk, B. (2005). Complex trauma in children and adolescents. Psychiatric Annals, 35, 390–398. https://doi.org/10.3928/00485713-20050501-05.
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
Creswell, J. W., & Miller, D. L. (2000). Determining validity in qualitative inquiry. Theory Into Practice, 39, 124–130. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip3903_2.
Cunningham, M. J., & Diversi, M. (2012). Aging out: Youths’ perspectives on foster care and the transition to independence. Qualitative Social Work, 12, 587–602. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325012445833.
Cushing, G., Samuels, G. M., & Kerman, B. (2014). Profiles of relational permanence at 22: Variability in parental supports and outcomes among young adults with foster care histories. Children and Youth Services Review, 39, 73–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.01.001.
Cusick, G. R., Havlicek, J. R., & Courtney, M. E. (2012). Risk for arrest: The role of social bonds in protecting foster youth making the transition to adulthood. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 82, 19–31. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-0025.2011.01136.x.
Day, A. G., Somers, C. L., Baroni, B. A., West, S. D., Sanders, L., & Peterson, C. D. (2015). Evaluation of a trauma-informed school intervention with girls in a residential facility school: Student perceptions of school environment. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 24, 1086–1105. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2015.1079279.
Dorsey, S., Burns, B. J., Southerland, D. G., Cox, J. R., Wagner, H. R., & Farmer, E. M. Z. (2012). Prior trauma exposure for youth in treatment foster care. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 21, 816–824. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-011-9542-4.
Edmond, T., Auslander, W., Elze, D., & Bowland, S. (2006). Signs of resilience in sexually abused adolescent girls in the foster care system. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 15(1), 1–28. Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wcsa20.
Geenen, S., & Powers, L. E. (2007). “Tomorrow is another problem”: The experiences of youth in foster care during their transition into adulthood. Children and Youth Services Review, 29, 1085–1101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2007.04.008.
Greeson, J. K. P. (2013). Foster youth and the transition to adulthood: The theoretical and conceptual basis for natural mentoring. Emerging Adulthood, 1, 40–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167696812467780.
Greeson, J. K. P., & Bowen, N. K. (2008). “She holds my hand” the experiences of foster youth with their natural mentors. Children and Youth Services Review, 30, 1178–1188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2008.03.003.
Greeson, J. K. P., Briggs, E. C., Kisiel, C. L., Layne, C. M., Ake III, G. S., Ko, S. J., … Fairbank, J. A. (2011). Complex trauma and mental health in children and adolescents placed in foster care: Findings from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Child Welfare, 90, 91–109. Retrieved from http://www.cwla.org/child-welfare-journal/.
Greeson, J. K. P., Thompson, A. E., Ali, S., & Wenger, R. S. (2015). It’s good to know that you got somebody that’s not going anywhere: Attitudes and beliefs of older youth in foster care about child welfare-based natural mentoring. Children and Youth Services Review, 48, 140–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.12.015.
Greeson, J. K. P., Usher, L., & Grinstein-Weiss, M. (2010). One adult who is crazy about you: Can natural mentoring relationships increase assets among young adults with and without foster care experience? Children and Youth Services Review, 32, 565–577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2009.12.003.
Griffin, G., Martinovich, Z., Gawron, T., & Lyons, J. S. (2009). Strengths moderate the impact of trauma on risk behaviors in child welfare. Residential Treatment for Children & Youth, 26, 105–118. https://doi.org/10.1080/08865710902872994.
Henry, D. L. (2005). The 3-5-7 model: Preparing children for permanency. Children and Youth Services Review, 27, 197–212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2004.09.002.
Herrenkohl, E. C., Herrenkohl, R. C., & Egolf, B. P. (2003). The psychosocial consequences of living environment instability on maltreated children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 73, 367–380. https://doi.org/10.1037/0002-9432.73.4.367.
Hiles, D., Moss, D., Wright, J., & Dallos, R. (2013). Young people’s experience of social support during the process of leaving care: A review of the literature. Children and Youth Services Review, 35, 2059–2071. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.10.008.
Hines, A. M., Merdinger, J., & Wyatt, P. (2005). Former foster youth attending college: Resilience and the transition to young adulthood. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 75, 381–394. https://doi.org/10.1037/0002-9432.75.3.381.
Hyde, J., & Kammerer, N. (2009). Adolescents’ perspectives on placement moves and congregate settings: Complex and cumulative instabilities in out-of-home care. Children and Youth Services Review, 31, 265–273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2008.07.019.
Ko, S. J., Ford, J. D., Kassam-Adams, N., Berkowitz, S. J., Wilson, C., Wong, M., … Layne, C. M. (2008). Creating trauma-informed systems: Child welfare, education, first responders, health care, juvenile justice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 39, 396–404. https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.39.4.396.
Landsman, M. J., Boel-Studt, S., & Malone, K. (2014). Results from a family finding experiment. Children and Youth Services Review, 36, 62–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.10.025.
Louisell, M. J. (2008). Six steps to find a family: A practice guide to family search and engagement (FSE). Retrieved from The National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice and Permanency Planning, Hunter College School of Social Work website: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/nrcfcpp/downloads/SixSteps.pdf.
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
Mota, C. P., & Matos, P. M. (2015). Adolescents in institutional care: Significant adults, resilience and well-being. Child & Youth Care Forum, 44, 209–224. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-014-9278-6.
Munson, M. R., & McMillen, J. C. (2009). Natural mentoring and psychosocial outcomes among older youth transitioning from foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 31, 104–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2008.06.003.
Nesmith, A., & Christophersen, K. (2014). Smoothing the transition to adulthood: Creating ongoing supportive relationships among foster youth. Children and Youth Services Review, 37, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.11.028.
Perry, B. D. (2009). Examining child maltreatment through a neurodevelopmental lens: Clinical applications of the neurosequential model of therapeutics. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 14, 240–255. https://doi.org/10.1080/15325020903004350.
Rubin, D. M., O’Reilly, A. L. R., Luan, X., & Localio, A. R. (2007). The impact of placement stability on behavioral well-being for children in foster care. Pediatrics, 119, 336–344. Retrieved from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org.
Salazar, A. M., Keller, T. E., & Courtney, M. E. (2011). Understanding social support’s role in the relationship between maltreatment and depression in youth with foster care experience. Child Maltreatment, 16, 102–113. Retrieved from http://journals.sagepub.com/home/cmx.
Salazar, A. M., Keller, T. E., Gowen, L. K., & Courtney, M. E. (2013). Trauma exposure and PTSD among older adolescents in foster care. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 48, 545–551. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/journal/127.
Saldaña, J. (2016). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc.
Salloum, A., Kondrat, D. C., Johnco, C., & Olson, K. R. (2015). The role of self-care on compassion satisfaction, burnout and secondary trauma among child welfare workers. Children and Youth Services Review, 49, 54–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.12.023.
Samuels, G. M. (2009). Ambiguous loss of home: The experience of familial (im)permanence among young adults with foster care backgrounds. Children and Youth Services Review, 31, 1229–1239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2009.05.008.
Semanchin Jones, A., & LaLiberte, T. (2013). Measuring youth connections: A component of relational permanence for foster youth. Children & Youth Services Review, 35, 509–517. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.12.006.
Storer, H. L., Barkan, S. E., Stenhouse, L. L., Eichenlaub, C., Mallillin, A., & Haggerty, K. P. (2014). In search of connection: The foster youth and caregiver relationship. Children and Youth Services Review, 42, 110–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.04.008.
Unrau, Y. A., Seita, J. R., & Putney, K. S. (2008). Former foster youth remember multiple placement moves: A journey of loss and hope. Children and Youth Services Review, 30, 1256–1266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2008.03.010.
van der Kolk, B. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. New York: Penguin.
Vandivere, S., & Malm, K. (2015). Family Finding evaluations: A summary of recent findings (Child Trends Publication No. 2015-01). Retrieved from https://childtrends-ciw49tixgw5lbab.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/2015-01Family_Finding_Eval_Summary.pdf.
Weiner, D. A., Schneider, A., & Lyons, J. S. (2009). Evidence-based treatments for trauma among culturally diverse foster care youth: Treatment retention and outcomes. Children and Youth Services Review, 31, 1199–1205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2009.08.013.
White Hawk, S. (2005, February). Generation after generation we are coming home. Fostering Families Today. Retrieved from http://www.wearecominghome.com/uploads/Fostering_Families_Today.2.pdf.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethical Approval
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Informed Consent
Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hall, S.F., Semanchin Jones, A. Implementation of Intensive Permanence Services: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Preparing Foster Youth for Supportive Relationships. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 35, 587–598 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-018-0550-8
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-018-0550-8