Supported Permanency Program

Supported Permanency Program is sponsored by Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS). This program promotes permanency for children in DHS custody placed with relatives in Oklahoma. The TANF grant for Supported Permanency offers a higher rate than a normal child-only case.

A referral from a Child Welfare worker is required.

SUBCHAPTER 6. PERMANENCY PLANNING PART 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS 340:75-6-1.

Purpose for permanency planning (a) Purpose. Permanency planning services are provided to the: (1) child in Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) legal custody or under OKDHS legal supervision; and (2) child's parent(s), legal guardian(s), or legal custodian(s) to assist in changing behaviors and correcting the conditions that led to the child's removal and court involvement. (b) Guiding principals.

The guiding principles of planning for the child in OKDHS custody or under OKDHS supervision are: (c) Outcomes. Addressing the child's needs is critical in attaining the desired safety, permanency, and well-being outcomes. (1) Permanency planning services are initiated immediately following the child's removal from the home and continue until the child is safely returned to the home or other safe, permanent placement is finalized.

 1 (2) Services are provided on the basis of the individualized needs of the child and family, whenever possible. A full range of community-based program options are provided in order that the child may remain in his or her own home or community, whenever possible.

(3) When it is not safe for the child to remain in his or her own home, every effort is made to place the child with a suitable relative, per Section 1-4-706 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes (10A O. S. § 1-4-706).

(4) When siblings are in OKDHS custody, every reasonable attempt is made to place the siblings together, per 10A O. S. § 1-4-204.

(5) Children are placed in residential settings only after all other less restrictive settings have been attempted or considered. INSTRUCTIONS TO STAFF 340:75-6-1 1. Case review.

Prior to making any case-related decisions or recommendations regarding visitation, placement, reunification, or termination of parental rights, the newly assigned primary or secondary permanency planning specialist reviews, no later than five days after assignment: (1) Form 01KI003E, Report to District Attorney, and Form 04KI030E, Assessment of Child Safety, related to the most recent case opening; and (2) all child welfare history.

340:75-6-4. Definitions  1 1The following words and terms when used in Section 1-1-105 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes or in this Subchapter have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Alleged father" means a man who alleges himself to be, or is alleged to be, the genetic father or a possible genetic father of a child, but whose paternity has not been determined .

The term does not include a presumed father. [10 O. S.

§ 7700-102] "Child Advocacy Center" means an entity that is an associate or full member in good standing of the National Children's Alliance. "Concurrent permanency planning" means when indicated, the implementation of two plans for a child entering out-of-home placement. One plan focuses on reuniting the parent and child; the other seeks to find a permanent out-of-home placement for the child and both plans are pursued simultaneously.

"Independent Living program" means a program specifically designed to assist a child in Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) custody or an Indian tribe in developing and enhancing the skills and abilities necessary for successful adult living, per Part 13 of OAC 340:75-6. "Kinship care" means full-time care of a child by a kinship relation.

"Kinship relation" means relatives, stepparents, or other responsible adults who have a bond or tie with the child and to whom have been ascribed a family relationship role with the child or the child's parent. "Multidisciplinary team" means any team of three or more persons involved in the provision of services, treatment, or both, to a child and the child's family and who meet to assess the progress on the treatment and service plan.

"Permanent guardianship" means a judicially created relationship between a child, a kinship relation of the child, or other adult pursuant to 10A O. S. 1-4-709.

"Presumed father" means a man who, by operation of law under Section 7700-204 of Title 10 of the Oklahoma Statutes, is recognized as the father of a child until that status is rebutted or confirmed in a judicial proceeding.

A man is presumed the father of a child when: (A) he and the mother of the child are married to each other and the child is born during the marriage; (B) he and the mother of the child were married to each other and the child is born within three hundred (300) days after the marriage is terminated by death, annulment, declaration of invalidity, dissolution of marriage, or after decree of separation; (C) before the birth of the child, he and the mother of the child married each other in apparent compliance with law, even if the attempted marriage is or could be declared invalid, and the child is born during the invalid marriage or within 300 days after its termination by death, annulment, declaration of invalidity, or after a decree of separation, or dissolution of marriage; (D) after the birth of the child, he and the mother of the child married each other in apparent compliance with law, whether the marriage is or could be declared invalid, and he voluntarily asserted his paternity of the child; and: (i) the assertion is in a record with the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Division of Vital Records or OKDHS; (ii) he agreed to be and is named as the child's father on the child's birth (iii) he promised in a record to support the child as his own; or (E) for the first two years of the child's life, he resided in the same household with the child and openly held out the child as his own.

"Risk" means the conditions in the child's home that put the child in danger of abuse, neglect, or both. "Safety threat" means the threat of serious harm due to child abuse or neglect occurring in the present or in the very near future and without the intervention of another person, a child would likely or in all probability sustain severe or permanent disability or injury, illness, or death.

"Sibling" means a biologically or legally related brother or sister of a child.

INSTRUCTIONS TO STAFF 340:75-6-4 The following words and terms when used in this Subchapter have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Alternate permanent plan" means a permanent living arrangement for a child in Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) custody, other than reunification with the parent(s), and requires an assessment of the child's needs and a treatment and service plan that addresses the child's permanent plan, per OAC 340:75-6-31.

"Case plan" means the overall plan for the placement of the child and treatment needs of the child and the child's family, per OAC 340:75-6-40. "Closest geographic proximity as possible" means placement of a child in OKDHS custody in the nearest geographic location to the child's own home that will meet the child's needs.

"Family team meeting" means a structured, facilitated meeting among all possible family members and a case specific multidisciplinary team including tribes, as applicable, to collaboratively create plans that effectively address safety, permanency, and well being; also referred to as family group decision making, family group conferencing, or team decision making.

"Initial Meeting" means a meeting between foster and birth parents, occurring within seven days of placement, for the purpose of holding a facilitated discussion regarding the needs of the child and to begin the process of creating a professional relationship between foster and birth parents.

"Least restrictive" means the placement of a child in OKDHS custody in the most home-like situation that meets the child's needs per OAC 340:75-6-85. "Movement" means changing a child in OKDHS custody from one living arrangement to another. "Out-of-home placement" means a living arrangement for a child other than the home of the child's parent(s), legal guardian, or legal custodian from whose custody the court has removed the child.

"Protective capacity" means a skill or resource that can be mobilized to contribute to the ongoing protection of a child.

"Reasonable efforts" means the reasonable exercise of diligence and care, 3with regard to a child who is in out-of-home placement or who is at imminent risk of harm, to: (A) refer to, arrange for, or develop reasonable supportive and rehabilitative services for the child's family that are required both to prevent unnecessary placement of the child outside of the home and to foster, whenever appropriate, the safe reunification of the child with the child's own family; or (B) place a child who cannot return home into a permanent placement in accord with the child's permanency plan.

"Reunification" means a permanent plan for the child that involves the return of the child to any person who retains parental or legal rights to the child after removal for child abuse, neglect, or both, regardless of the custody arrangement prior to the child entering out-of-home care per OAC 340:75-6-31. PART 5. PERMANENCY PLANNING SERVICES 340:75-6-30.

Child's visitation with parents and siblings (a) Visitation is a right.  1 The child and parent(s) have a right to regular visitation. A court may not deny visitation based solely on the failure of a parent to prove that the parent has not used legal or illegal substances or complied with an aspect of the court-ordered individualized service plan per Section 1-4-707 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes.

If the court determines that reunification services are appropriate for the child and a parent, the court shall allow reasonable visitation with the parent or legal guardian from whose custody the child was removed, unless visitation is not in the best interest of the child, taking into consideration: (1) protection of the physical safety of the child; (2) protection of the life of the child; (3) protection of the child from being traumatized by contact with the parent or sibling; and  3 & 4 (b) Frequency of parent-child visitation.

Family visitation begins no later than one week after the child's removal from the home. A visitation schedule that considers the needs of the child is developed and includes more than one time per month visitation thereafter, until the child is returned or the permanency plan is no longer reunification.

 1 Exceptions to the frequency of visitation, including the termination of visitation are made when the: (1) parent fails or declines to cooperate with visitation arrangements; (2) court orders no visitation; (3) whereabouts of the parent is unknown; (4) visitation, even when supervised, endangers or is determined by a behavioral health professional to submit the child to highly damaging psychological stress; (5) court orders a different frequency of visitation; or (6) the permanency plan is not reunification.

(c) Mail and phone contact. Contact with the child's parent, extended family, and friends through phone calls and letters is encouraged. Mail, including email, and phone 4calls are not monitored or restricted unless it is essential for the child's protection.

 5The court is advised when restrictions are warranted. Restrictions are court ordered and may be considered when: (1) threats are made to the child; (2) the contact causes harm to the child's emotional well-being; (3) there is an attempt to influence the child's testimony; or (4) an attempt is made to undermine a present or future placement. (d) Contact with siblings.

Reasonable efforts are made to place sibling groups, who have been removed, together in both temporary and permanent placements, per OAC 340:75-6-85. 3. When this is not possible, on-going contact such as face-to-face, phone calls, letters, or email contact between siblings is arranged.

 2 (e) Child's visits and contacts with relatives and others. When a child is in Oklahoma Department of Human Services emergency, temporary, or permanent custody, the CW specialist evaluates requests for visitation or contact from relatives, extended family members, or others considering information from the child's parent(s) and the significance of the relationship to the child's well-being.  6 INSTRUCTIONS TO STAFF 340:75-6-30 1.

(a) Right to visitation. (1) The parent is notified of the right to visit their child via, Form 04KI012E, Individualized Service Plan (ISP), or Form 04KI013E, Individualized Service Plan (ISP) Dispositional Report, as applicable. (2) Denial of family visitation, sibling contact, or the exchange of letters and phone calls is not used to reward or punish the child or family.

(b) Parent-child visitation. Family visitation begins no later than one week after the child's removal. Frequent, purposeful visitation contributes to successful placement and reunification and reduces the time to reunification.

Visitation is the single most predictive factor in whether a child is successfully reunified.

Parent-child visitation is a high priority of the Child Welfare (CW) specialist and serves to: (1) reassure the child that the parent(s) has not abandoned him or her and still cares for him or her; (2) reassure the parent that CW is committed to maintaining family relationships and helping the parent; (3) strengthen familial relationships; (4) create an environment for the parent to demonstrate new parenting skills; (5) create an opportunity where parenting skills may be evaluated; (6) allow the CW specialist to: (A) assess parent-child interaction; (B) assess the parent's level of interest and protective capacities; (C) prepare the family for reunification; and (D) identify continued risks to child safety that make reunification unfeasible.

5(1) A visitation schedule is developed by the family, placement provider, and CW specialist within two weeks of the child's removal from the home. Visitation increases in length and frequency and decreases in the level of supervision as the parent demonstrates a change in the behaviors that caused the child to be unsafe.

(2) A visitation schedule provides a measure of certainty for parent-child interaction time and allows the parent a reliable routine for practicing new parenting and relationship techniques. The schedule promotes parent-child relationship and allows the CW specialist an opportunity to observe the parent-child interaction and to gage the parent's level of commitment to the child.

(3) The family, placement provider, and CW specialist determine the frequency, location, and arrangements for visitations. A family team meeting (FTM) may be utilized to develop a visitation schedule, allowing the informal supports for the family, such as relatives, kin, friends, or neighbors, to assist the parent, when appropriate.

(A) When safety is ensured, the placement provider participates in visitation and supports, mentors, and helps the parent work towards reunification. (B) The visitation schedule is written and signed by the family, placement provider, and CW specialist. (C) The parent, placement provider, child, and others as appropriate, are provided a copy of the visitation schedule.

(D) The visitation schedule is attached to Form 04KI012E, Individualized Service Plan (ISP), or Form 04KI013E, Individualized Service Plan (ISP) Dispositional Report. (d) Frequency. The CW specialist attempts to facilitate the most frequent visitation schedule possible.

(A) When the court orders the frequency of visitation, the schedule includes the number of court-ordered visits. (B) Contact with the child occurs according to the child's safety needs. (C) Visitation frequency is increased by adding a schedule for letters and phone calls, followed by an increase in visits.

Phone calls and visits are arranged by the parent, placement provider, and age-appropriate child. (e) Length. Initial visits may be of short duration, one to two hours.

Length of visits gradually increase as agreed to by the parents, resource parents, and CW specialist based on the planned activities and the best interests of the child and family. (1) Increased frequency and duration of visitation is encouraged. (2) Successful unsupervised all day, overnight, and weekend visits are completed prior to planning for the child's return home.

(f) Location. In the beginning stages of a case, visits may require supervision by the CW specialist, and when necessary, held in a controlled environment such as the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) office or the home of an approved relative or kin. When a home-like setting is not available 6or appropriate, visits may be held in locations such as parks, restaurants, and shopping malls.

(1) As the parent progresses in developing protective capacities and in eliminating safety threats, the frequency and length of visits increase and the location moves to the home of the parent, placement provider, or an approved relative or kin, as appropriate. Visits may also be held in locations such as parks, restaurants, and shopping malls.

(2) The length, frequency, and location of visits are based on the needs of the child and the abilities of the parent. (g) Activities. Visits include planned, structured, and age-appropriate activities with the child that strengthen the parent-child relationship and allow the parent an opportunity to learn about the child's development.

As parental involvement progresses, school conferences, and doctor appointments may be combined with the family visits. (h) Importance of visitation. The Child Welfare (CW) specialist stresses to the parent the importance of regular visits with the child.

The parent is informed that a child in out-of-home placement anticipates and is positively or negatively affected by family visits.

The CW specialist explains: (1) when a parent fails to attend a scheduled visit, it is harmful to the child; (2) the parent's attendance, behaviors, and interactions with the child at scheduled visits is documented on 04KI014E, Individualized Service Plan (ISP) Progress Report, to report the parent's progress toward improved parenting; and (3) frequent parent-child visitation increases the likelihood of early reunification.

(i) Suspension or termination of visitation. Prior to discontinuing or recommending discontinuation of visitation between the parent and child, the CW specialist consults with the district attorney, child's attorney, and child's therapist, when applicable.

(1) When visitation is implemented by the CW specialist and is not court-ordered, the CW specialist provides written notice of the decision to suspend or terminate visitation with a detailed explanation, including efforts made by OKDHS to improve the quality of family contacts, to the: (D) court-appointed special advocate (CASA), when applicable; and (E) tribe, when applicable.

(2) When visitation is court-ordered, visits between the child and parent are not suspended or terminated by OKDHS. The recommendation to suspend or terminate visitation between the child and parent, that includes a detailed explanation including efforts made by OKDHS to improve the quality of family contacts, is provided to the: (D) CASA, when applicable; and (E) tribe, when applicable.

(j) Protocol for visitation facilitation for multiple county assignments. (1) No later than ten business days after secondary assignment, the CW county of jurisdiction specialist begins an email exchange between all assigned CW specialists and supervisors to develop a visitation schedule, and make child-focused case decisions regarding specific specialist responsibilities.

(A) Decisions regarding the visitation schedule include consideration of: (i) who will be involved in the visitation; (ii) when and where visitation will be held; (iii) who will provide transportation; (iv) who will be responsible for documentation of visitation in KIDS; and (v) visitation cancellation and suspension issues.

(B) Issues that may impact decision-making are: (i) court orders regarding visitation, such as frequency and supervision; (ii) needs of child and parent; (iii) suggested activities; (iv) input from family and kin during family team meetings; and (v) any other pertinent information.

(2) The CW county of jurisdiction specialist and the CW county of placement specialist review the decisions regarding visitation and address issues during the mandatory monthly phone contact.

(3) When there is disagreement regarding visitation decisions, the CW specialist not in agreement consults with his or her CW supervisor and schedules a teleconference or face-to-face staffing among all assigned CW staff to determine necessary action. (k) Visitation documentation. The occurrences and interactions during family visitation provide essential information utilized in case decisions.

(1) Visits are documented: (A) in the KIDS Contacts and Visits screens; (B) in the Visitation Section of Form 04KI013E, Individualized Service Plan (ISP) Dispositional Report; or (C) on Form 04KI014E to provide information to the court regarding visitation.

(2) Documentation includes, but is not limited to: (A) the parent's progress in demonstrating parenting skills during visitation; (B) the development of the parent-child relationship; (C) efforts to place siblings, who have been removed, together and efforts to provide ongoing visitation or other contact between siblings, 8when siblings are not placed in the same home; and (D) other significant events. (l) Failure to attend visitation.

When the parent does not attend a scheduled visit, the CW specialist discusses the absence with the parent to determine the cause. (1) When the parent was unable to attend due to circumstances beyond his or her immediate control, another visit is scheduled as soon as it can be arranged and services, such as transportation, are provided to alleviate the cause of the missed visit and promote future visits.

(2) When frequent absenteeism occurs after services are offered: (A) the reasons for the parent's absence are evaluated with the parent's participation; (B) the parent is informed that failure to keep scheduled visits is harmful to the child's emotional and mental well-being and to the parent-child relationship; and (C) when feasible, the CW specialist attempts to minimize harm to the child due to the parent's failure to attend.

One method requires the parent to arrive at the visitation location prior to the child. (3) When the parent chronically misses visits after services are offered and is aware of resulting harm to the child, this indicates the parent may be unwilling or unable to assume parenting responsibilities. (4) Visit absenteeism may be accompanied by arriving late, leaving early, or poor parent-child interaction.

This information is considered by the CW specialist during permanency planning for the child. (m) Anxiety demonstrated during visitation. Visits with parents are often stressful to a child.

(A) be upset by the parent's behaviors; (B) have a loyalty conflict between the parent and placement provider; or (C) feel anger, fear, or uncertainty about the separation and the future. (2) Placement providers often attribute a child's difficult behaviors before and after visits to negative feelings the child may have toward the parent or to negative events that might have occurred during the visit.

(3) Pre- and post-visit behaviors are documented in KIDS Visits screen and, when appropriate, Form 04KI009E, Court Report, or 04KI014E. (4) When a child demonstrates anxiety surrounding family visits the actions in (A) and (B) are considered.

(A) The CW specialist holds a discussion with the parent, placement provider, child, and appropriate professionals, such as a counselor or therapist, to determine whether changes will make the visits more satisfactory. With the parent's participation, the CW specialist designs a plan of action to correct the situation and assists the parent in making necessary changes.

(B) When the behavior persists after the CW specialist has talked to the 9child, counseling is provided to determine the cause for the reaction. The CW specialist maintains awareness of the child's feelings, fears, and desires by conducting visits with the child and observing family visitation a minimum of once every four weeks.

(i) When abuse or neglect occurs during visitations, a report is made to the OKDHS Abuse and Neglect Hotline and a new investigation is conducted, per OAC 340:75-3. (ii) Significant events and reactions by the child are documented in the appropriate KIDS screens and Form 04KI009E or Form 04KI014E.

(1) When sibling groups, who have been removed, are not placed together in temporary or permanent placements: (A) on-going face-to-face contact is arranged a minimum of once every four weeks until the siblings are reunited in out-of-home placement or the permanency plan is achieved.

(B) In addition to face-to-face contact, phone, letter, or email contact between all siblings is arranged as frequently as possible until the siblings are reunited in out-of-home placement or the permanency plan is achieved. (2) Sibling contacts approved by the CW specialist may be arranged by placement providers.

(3) The CW specialist verifies the face-to-face and other types of contacts with the placement provider at each monthly contact. (4) When sibling contact is detrimental to one or more of the siblings, a temporary exception to visitation is documented in the case record.

The CW specialist: (A) arranges services, including counseling, when indicated, to correct the situation; and (B) reports the status of sibling contact in the Visitation section of Form 04KI009E or 04KI014E.

(5) When sibling contact is not feasible due to behavioral health needs, such as a sibling receiving inpatient care, the CW specialist: (A) maintains contact with the unavailable sibling's service provider to resume face-to-face siblings visitation or other forms of sibling contact as soon as it is in the best interests of the siblings; and (B) reports the status of sibling contact in the Visitation Section of Form 04KI009E or Form 04KI014E.

3. Continuation of visitation. After a judicial finding that reasonable efforts to reunite are not required or have been made and failed, visitation between the child and parent is evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine whether to continue visitation.

(A) These findings alone do not cease or limit visitation. (B) At the court hearing when the finding is made, the CW specialist: (i) makes a recommendation regarding termination of parental rights; and 10 (ii) recommends whether visitation continues, is limited, or ceases. 4.

Visitation with a parent whose rights are terminated. In some cases, contact and visitation between an older child or teenager and a parent whose rights are terminated may be appropriate. Teens and older children in other permanent placements, excluding adoptive homes, may desire a relationship with a parent who has made changes and matured since parental rights were terminated.

5. Opening and reading the child's mail. Mail for a child in Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) custody is not opened or inspected except by the child.

When the CW specialist believes the mail contains: (1) contraband, the specialist opens the mail in the child's presence without reading; or (2) inappropriate or harmful information, the specialist immediately notifies the CW supervisor. Court approval is required to open or read the child's mail.

(A) The CW supervisor consults with the CW field liaison (CWFL) regarding any concerns for the child and procedures to open or inspect the mail. (B) When necessary, the CW supervisor contacts the district attorney for assistance in obtaining a court order providing appropriate restrictions. 6.

(a) Visitation with relatives, extended family, and significant others.

When contact and visitation with relatives and extended family is important for the child's well-being, the CW specialist: (1) encourages, when appropriate, the child's relatives and kin to maintain or strengthen their relationship with the child through visitation and other forms of contact, and facilitates the contact and visitation; and (2) considers the parent's viewpoint, wishes of the child, and permanency plan when school teachers, church personnel, or other members of the community who know the child request ongoing visitation or contact with the child.

(b) Child's visits or contacts from outside entities. The CW specialist determines who is appropriate to have visitation or contact with a child in out-of-home placement. When the child is in emergency or temporary OKDHS custody, the parent and relatives have input into the decision.

For the child in permanent OKDHS custody, the CW specialist may approve contact from outside entities, based upon the child's wishes and the permanency plan. (c) When the parent disagrees with the child's contact or visitation with relatives or others, the child's attorney is consulted. 340:75-6-31.

Permanency planning for the child in Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) custody  1 through 12 (a) Legislative intent. Pursuant to Section 1-1-102 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes (10A O. S.

§ 1-1-102), whenever it is necessary for a child to be placed outside 11 of the home pursuant to the Oklahoma Children's Code, it is the intent of the Legislature that: (1) each child be assured of the care, guidance, and supervision in a permanent home or foster home that serves the best interests of the child including, but not limited to the development of the moral, emotional, spiritual, mental, social, educational, and physical well-being of the child; and (2) permanent placement is achieved as soon as possible for the child.

(b) Permanency planning and placement preferences. The purpose of permanency planning is to develop an appropriate plan addressing the child's immediate and long-term needs for safety, permanency, and well-being. Permanency planning begins immediately when a child is placed in OKDHS custody and continues until the child is living in a permanent home and the Child Welfare (CW) case is closed.

(c) Efforts to place the child with a suitable relative. In accordance with 10A O. S.

§ 1-4-706, every effort is made to place the child with a suitable relative of the child. (d) Consideration given to child's initial out-of-home placement. Careful planning and consideration is given to the child's initial placement so that in the event reunification fails or is delayed, the first placement made is the best available placement to provide permanency for the child per 10A O.

S. § 1-4-706. (e) Concurrent permanency planning.

Pursuant to 10A O. S. § 1-4-706, when a child is removed from the custody of the child's parent, OKDHS immediately assesses the need for permanency planning with the intention that permanency occurs for the child at the earliest opportunity.

 2 & 6 (f) Permanency hearing. Permanency hearings are held as required per 10A O. S.

§ 1-4-811, and in accordance with OAC 340:75-1-18. 1. (g) Permanency plan preferences.

 4 The permanency plan preferences in order are: (1) reunite the child with the child's parent or legal guardian; (2) terminate parental rights and place the child for adoption; (3) establish guardianship; or (4) provide a planned alternative permanent placement. (h) Reunification.  4 & 7 In most situations, the initial permanency plan is to reunite the child with the family.

Per 10A O. S. § 1-7-103, the child may be returned to the home of the parent or legal guardian from whom the child was removed with prior court approval.

When the permanency plan is reunification, services are implemented until: (1) the child is returned home, the family home has stabilized, and the court case is dismissed; or (2) it is determined the conditions that necessitated intervention have not been corrected, although sufficient time and services have been provided. (i) Exceptions to reunification as the preferred permanency plan. Exceptions to reunification as the preferred