New Family-Friendly Resource to Promote Post-permanency Services

SWAN has been providing Post-permanency supports to families for over two decades. These services, which include case advocacy, respite and support groups, are available free of charge to Pennsylvania families formed through adoption, formalized kinship or permanent legal custodianship.

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and other societal struggles, many Pennsylvania families are experiencing additional stress. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services/Office of Children, Youth and Families (DHS/OCTF) wants eligible families to know SWAN Post-permanency services are available and is calling on the network to help create awareness.

A new SWAN Post-permanency Services informational flyer is a resource for county’s families and casework staff that highlights SWAN Post-permanency services. DHS/OCYF is asking the network to distribute this flyer to families in their area. The flyer is accessible in two formats for electronic distribution and printing from the Permanency Toolkit (SWAN Benchmarks and Templates > Post-permanency Forms).

Agencies can use this flyer in a variety of ways to connect with families:

• Provide to families during the annual redetermination of subsidy meetings;
• Provide to families at adoption finalization;
• Insert into monthly subsidy check mailings;
• Send electronically to permanency families on agency mailing lists;
• Place or post in the Intake Unit to make caseworkers aware of these services; and
• Share with local courts and other partners.

SWAN Post-permanency services not only assist the family but also help to deter the re-entry of children into the child welfare system. These services recognize families’ needs and ensure families have support to encourage a positive, life-long experience.

To learn more about SWAN Post-permanency services, request a brief virtual presentation for your agency through your SWAN regional technical assistant.