MAPP Goals and Selection Criteria

Criteria for Mutual Selection of
Foster And Adoptive Parents

The GOAL of the PS-MAPP Program is to prepare individuals and families to make an informed decision about becoming foster, adoptive or foster/adoptive families. The decision is made with the child welfare agency and is based on the capability and willingness to take on the “role” and develop the skills needed to foster and/or adopt. Foster and adoptive families who make good decisions and grow in their new roles work best with the agency, birth families and others. These partnerships help children and youth have stability and permanence with a family.

As successful resource parents you must be able to:

1. Know your own family.

Assess your individual and family strengths and needs; build on strengths and meet needs.

2. Communicate effectively.

Use and develop communication skills needed to foster or adopt.

3. Know the children.

Identify the strengths and needs of children and youth who have been abused, neglected, abandoned, and/or emotionally maltreated.

4. Build strengths; meet needs.

Build on strengths and meet needs of children and youth who are placed with you.

5. Work in partnership.

Develop partnerships with children and youth, birth families, the agency, and the community to develop and carry out plans for permanency.

6. Be loss and attachment experts.

Help children and youth develop skills to manage loss and attachment.

7. Manage behaviors.

Help children and youth manage behaviors.

8. Build connections.

Help children and youth maintain and develop relationships that keep them connected to their pasts.

9. Build self-esteem.

Help children and youth build on positive self-concept and positive family, cultural and racial identity.

10. Assure health and safety .

Provide a healthy and safe environment for children and youth and keep them free from harm.

11. Assess impact.

Assess the ways fostering and/or adopting will affect your family.

12. Make an informed decision.

Make an informed decision to foster or adopt.

All potential resource parents must undergo background checks. Homes must be licensed by Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and meet their licensing requirements.