Building a Stronger, More Coordinated Post-Permanency System

How targeted technical assistance with the National Center for Enhanced Post-Adoption Support helped California build a stronger, more coordinated post-permanency system for adoptive and guardianship families. 

Two trainings were developed and conducted to provide post-permanency staff across the state with knowledge on how best to serve adoptive and guardianship families.  

Opened dialogue between the state and counties related to post-permanency, laying the foundation for a model that can be implemented to provide more equitable services across the state.  

The largest known statewide scan of California post-permanency services was completed which entailed  interviews with 36 counties and contracted providers.  

An on-line learning hub was created that provides post-permanency staff with up-to-date resources, information and training. 

Technical assistance helped the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) move from limited visibility to a clearer understanding of the post-permanency services landscape across California. The work surfaced common needs, highlighted county strengths, and created a foundation for more consistent support for adoptive and guardianship families. It also helpedb CDSS begin active dialogue with counties about how to better serve adoptive and guardianship families which ultimately will result in a proposed model of practice that counties can adapt to strengthen service provision.  Practical tools were developed to help lay a foundation of post-permaenncy knowledge including: 

• Created the clearest statewide picture of post-permanency services. The Post-Adoption Center contacted 40 counties, completed interviews with 36, and gathered input from 97 county staff members as well as contracted providers offering post-permanency services. 

• Produced a comprehensive statewide report. Interview data were analyzed and organized into a report describing services offered across 36 counties, major themes in service provision, unmet needs, and opportunities for post-permanency enhancement.

• Elevated tribal perspectives. An addendum to the comprehensive statewide report incorporated feedback from five federally recognized tribes in California related to guardianship, customary adoption, and adoption.

• Shared findings statewide. The full report and executive summary were distributed to county offices and stakeholder groups across California, and findings were presented in statewide forums, including to the County Child Welfare Directors Association.

• Built training capacity for the field. A two-hour training course, Understanding Adoptive Families, was developed for post-permanency staff, along with a train-the-trainer approach to support ongoing delivery in California. 

• Strengthened pre-permanency practice. A 1.5-hour training was delivered twice to help staff understand why support before permanency matters and how to prepare families before adoption or guardianship is finalized. 

• Launched a practical learning hub. A comprehensive Learning Center was developed to give post-permanency professionals a centralized place to access resources, learning opportunities, forms, policies, and best practices. 

CDSS has the nation’s largest Adoption Assistance Program, with thousands of children moving into adoption and guardianship each year. As of September 1, 2025, 84,438 children were on the Adoption Assistance Program caseload and 16,766 were receiving guardianship assistance. Behind those numbers are families who need timely, informed, and consistent support after permanency is achieved. 

California’s county-administered structure adds complexity. Its 58 counties vary widely in size, culture, population, and service infrastructure. The counties also vary in the services provided to post-permaenncy families.  All but a handful of counties manage their own post-permaenncy services resulting in varying degree of services being offered.   

The technical assistance partnership focused on helping California move from uneven local practice toward a more shared, statewide approach to post-permanency support. CDSS goals for technical assistance were to:  

1. Equip county adoption professionals with the knowledge, skills, and approaches needed to support adoptive and guardianship families across the post-permanency continuum. 
2. Build greater quality and consistency in service provision across California. 
3. Foster collaboration and shared learning among adoption professionals statewide. 
4. Support continuous improvement and responsiveness to the needs of adoptive and guardianship families. 

CDSS plans to continue enhancing the Learning Center so it becomes a one-stop resource for professionals supporting adoptive and guardianship families. Planned enhancements include a listserv for post-permanency professionals, newsletters, and peer groups that allow counties to share resources and learn from one another. The intent is to create a collaborative learning environment where counties are learning from one another and work together to identify challenges and solutions for serving this target group are identified.  

The Learning Center is an important first step toward a shared understanding of the service array families need after permanency. Over time, the goal is to support a more structured, consistent process for how counties respond when adoptive and guardianship families seek help along with a structured process of how and when counties reach out for help from CDSS.