Elements of Success

The Illinois subsidized guardianship waiver and the rigorous evaluation that supported it were instrumental in promoting the Fostering Connections and Increasing Adoption Opportunities Act of 2008, which offers federally subsidized guardianship as an option for all states.  Several key elements of the demonstration program were critical to its success, and can be replicated by states that opt into the new federal program:   

·          Equal subsidies.   Families who choose subsidized guardianship are offered subsidies that are equal to what a child receives while in foster care, as well as what they would have received if they had adopted.  The consistency in subsidy offers an incentive to families to choose the best option for their own unique situation, not that which is more financially advantageous.   

·          Licensing relatives.   In order to be eligible for the guardianship subsidy, relatives and non-related foster parents must be licensed foster parents. Ensuring that relative caregivers are licensed in order to be eligible for Title IV-E foster care will be critical for eligibility for the federal Title IV-E guardianship subsidy.   

·          Full education about permanency options.  The Illinois evaluation demonstrated that when families are educated about all the options available to them, some choose to adopt.  Illinois uses family team meetings as the forum in which to educate caregivers about their options.  Other states can discuss these options with caregivers in team decision-making meetings, family group conferences and similar types of meetings so that caregivers understand the full implications of each option.   

·          Post permanency supports.  Many families with children who leave foster care for guardianship have needs that extend beyond the finalization of the guardianship agreement.  Illinois structured its post permanency support system so that guardianship families would have access to those post permanency services offered to adoptive families. For many families, the department is able to link them to services if their needs become known during the subsidy renewal process.

·          Successor guardianship .  Almost half of the ruptures of guardianship cases in Illinois occurred because a guardian caregiver died.  Since these findings have become known, Illinois seeks to establish successor guardianship plans whenever possible.