Once a child is in foster care, DSS must develop a permanency plan. Their first choice is usually to work with the child’s parents to resolve the safety issues so the child can go home. If that is not possible, they can consider another permanency option: allowing a relative to become the child’s custodian. This requires DSS to get a custody order from an NC Juvenile Court. A custody order does not require that the birth parent’s rights be terminated. However, it is usually better to ask for guardianship rather than custody because guardianship may provide you and the child more services and protection.

Any family who exits foster care through reunification, guardianship, custody, kinship care or adoption is eligible to participate in the NC DHHS Success Coach program. These services are voluntary and intended to provide ongoing support as families navigate building or rebuilding their relationships after foster care or post-adoption.  A Success Coach is a specialized social worker who works alongside families to assist them in identifying their most pressing needs, developing a tailored success plan, and connecting them to additional community-based resources. Services are ultimately decided on by the family and can include parenting support, crisis prevention, case management, respite, help navigating the behavioral health system, and assistance with basic needs such as employment, food security, housing, education and building a reliable support system.