Plummer Youth Promise Permanency Mediation Training (In Person and Online)

As a service to our members and the general public, the Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation is sharing the following announcement. MCFM is not responsible for the content of this announcement and is not a sponsor of the program or programs described in this announcement.

***  Training Announcement From Plummer Youth Promise  ***

FREE PERMANENCY MEDIATION TRAINING FALL 2025
Hybrid training: In-Person and Virtual components*

Are you a trained mediator?¹  Do you have experience working in or with the Child Welfare System? Do you want to help children achieve a safe, stable, permanent home? Consider being a Permanency Mediator. 

Permanency Mediation is an advanced mediation model for trained mediators with child welfare experience. We use two unique approaches to mediate a permanent plan for a child in foster care. The Family Consultation Team (FCT) approach addresses what needs to occur for the child to return home, while simultaneously considering an alternative permanent plan (guardianship or adoption), if reunification is not possible. The FCT mediation unites parents, extended family, social workers, attorneys, and other service providers in a non-adversarial permanency planning process. When the goal is not reunification, the Cooperative Permanency Planning (CPP) approach uses a collaborative process to facilitate building a relationship between parents and foster parents as they work together to develop a permanent plan for the child’s future. 
 
Training Program Design 

Learn 

• Specific Permanency Mediation skill building in the Family Consultation Team process 
• How to assess the Child’s needs for Safety, Support, Continuity of Relationships and Permanence 
• How to engage youth in permanency planning
• Clinical and legal issues involved in working with participants in child welfare cases  
• Elements of Cooperative Open Adoption Agreements and Guardianship Agreements 
• Kinship and Guardianship issues 

This 36-hour hybrid training emphasizes interactive participation and encourages “learning by doing.” Training will take place in person on Saturday sessions and virtually on weeknight sessions. It includes a mixture of theory and practice that enhances the skills of the participants and provides a variety of learning techniques that reflect sensitivity to individual learning styles. Also included are role plays with individual feedback and group debriefing. Training concludes with a mentoring case under the direction of a qualified Mentor and Regional Supervisor.

DATES, TIMES, AND LOCATION – 44 Portland St., 4th Floor, Worcester, MA

In person sessions Saturday, September 6, 13, 20, and 27 • 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Virtual Zoom sessions Wed. and Thurs: Sept. 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, and 25 • 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm 
    *Participants are expected to attend all 10 sessions.

►►  Download Training Flyer

►►  For more information or to register e-mail: PermMediation@plummeryouthpromise.org

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¹  A Basic Mediation Training is a prerequisite for this training.

* This FREE training is sponsored by the Trial Court.