Permanency Planning Meeting

This meeting was called into place by baby girls legal worker, and Shane and I had only 5 days to coordinate schedules, find babysitters, work around school for our boys, just so we could make it on Thursday Dec.1st. This meeting usually occurs before the 6 month hearing, to make sure everyone (foster parents and bio parents) are on the same page.

On the letter, it states that the parents are also invited to be in attendance, which made me a little nervous because I have actually NEVER had a conversation with her parents.. even after four months that we have been doing weekly visits!

On the day, the CPS casework Jackie met me there (she wanted to be there as soon as I told her that he called this to place), and I was so sad that my mom was unable to go with me due to illness, but it was so comforting having someone on her team there! After going through the metal detector, and waiting in the waiting area, we were finally called back to a room the back of the CPS building.

The meeting started with the parents not showing up (for the first time in this whole case), the legal worker sitting across from the me and the caseworker, and the clerk (she is from the court, and asked all the questions and mediated the entire meeting).

First she started out asking the legal worker questions about baby girl, all of her medical conditions (which the legal worker insisted I fill her on all of that.. of which I did), and about all of current services she is receiving.  Then moved on to bio moms services (Drug course, therapy and counseling, parenting classes, appropriate housing, having a psychological completed, some form of employment, and domestic violence classes).  Once mom was complete, she moved on to bio Dads services (all of the same as mom, but instead of domestic violence classes, he took offender classes).

After that came the barriers that would prevent them from getting baby girl back which consisted lack of parenting skills, history of police involvement, medical concerns, and the fact that the father has a legal case pending. Then I had the chance to have the floor and I requested that she get increased from basic (which is a normal healthy baby) to moderate care (which for example, is a child with special needs that is manageable) and that was pretty much the biggest concern, because the rest will be determined at the hearing.

We wrapped up everything (literally 30 minutes) and I was SO pleased that I attended, and left with a lot more information about the parents that I have received in the last four months, and I truly feel that God is putting all the pieces into place for her life, and whatever happens, we will be alongside her to see it come to pass.

January 17th is the hearing and we would love if they prayed for baby girl, and our family as well during this time. Thank you so much!

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