Darla Henry & Associates: 3-5-7 Model Preparing Children for Permanency

The 3-5-7 Model is a child-driven practice approach to prepare children/youth, families and professionals to assist children and youth in doing the work of grieving the many losses they have experienced through traumatic family environments and numerous placements living in the child care placement system.

• The three (3) tasks of the model engage children and youth in clarification activities (Life Books, Loss Lines) to recognize the events and losses of their lives; integration activities (Life Books, puzzles) to assist them in building and rebuilding relationships through the attachment process; and, actualization activities to assist them in visualizing future. 
• The five (5) conceptual questions support the work of the three tasks addressing the issues of identity formation, loss and grief, attachment and relationship building, and feelings of safety as they move towards belongingness and permanency with others.  These questions are: Who am I? What happened to me? Where am I going? How will I get there? When will I know I belong?  By answering these questions, the answer to why will reveal itself and guide the planning and decision making process. 
• Seven (7) skill elements assure the work of professionals and parents to engage, listen, be truthful, validate, create safety and recognize that the work for children and youth is to resolve and heal the pain of the past. 

Doing this work is about the heart of all of us…encouraging the expression of pain and hurt in a supportive relationship that connects behaviors to loss and the resultant behaviors that range from sadness despair and depression to anger and rage.  Through the experience of learning the techniques and theories of this 3-5-7 Model, workers and families become comfortable in exploring these hurts and learn patience in supporting the expression of their pain.  As a feelings practice, the use of this model has shown that children and youth do the work in grieving losses and are able to move forward towards permanency in relationships.  It is based in the theories of child development, grief and loss, attachment and trauma-based concepts.

Use of the 3-5-7 Model provides a practical, doable approach.  It involves a three-fold plan to prepare children/youth, prepare families/caregivers, and prepare professional social workers and therapists to work collaboratively to support the grief and attachment work that children and youth will be doing.  It enhances the work of Family Finding activities and Family Group Decision Making conferences. 

Training programs included workshops that provide an overview and in-depth knowledge base of the model, and case reviews/consultations on the application of the model to assist in decision making and planning for children and youth. By learning and implementing the model, it is projected that one less placement will be needed; therefore, one less decision making meeting will be required. Follow up is provided to assure sustainability of the work and fidelity to the model in practice towards actualizing permanency for children and families.

• Since 2007, the California Permanency for Youth Project (CPYP) has provided training of the 3-5-7 Model to enhance Family Finding activities in thirteen counties throughout the state. In addition, training and consultation has been provided to numerous offices of Los Angeles County Department of Family Services supported through the training programs of UCLA and CalState. A pilot project was implemented by LA Metro North office, on a youth specific basis, with seven WRAP provider programs throughout LA County. Training and consultation also has supported the permanency programs of AspiraNet, Lilliput Children Services, Seneca Center and EMQ/Families First and UC Davis.
• New Hampshire adopted the 3-5 7 Model as an approach to permanency and has implemented throughout the 18 regional offices of the state.
• Pennsylvania uses the model as the core of child preparation activities for the Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network. It is also identified as a Permanency Initiative by the Administration of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) Court Improvement Project.
• Wisconsin has provided training through statewide conferences and a specialized training for permanency workers sponsored by the state regional child welfare training program in Milwaukee.
• AdoptUSKids, through the National Child Welfare Resource Center for Adoption and the University of Texas child welfare research department, is currently piloting a project to prepare youth on identifying permanent families through the internet using concepts of the 3-5-7 Model
• Training and Consultation has been conducted in Florida, Connecticut, Arizona, Idaho, Ohio, Delaware, and Oklahoma, as well as national convenings for Casey Family Programs.

The follow quotes have been written in evaluations of training on the model:

"I have been in child welfare work for 35 years. This is transformative."

"When I work with my agencies that do this work, I will have more knowledge to help them with the concepts of this practice."

"Useful in understanding that grief is not cognitive and that grief is the root of a lot of youth behavior."

"I will apply this training to listening to the children I work with more and talking less…using the Life Book/Life Map with clients."

"I will apply this in my work with parents on how to love, care and parent their children."

"It helped me recognize what children really need is to belong and have closure."

"Permanency is about the heart. Let children guide you."

"Brought a new language to the work that assures continuity for children and youth within the system."

"I was able to apply the concepts to Family Finding and Family Group Decision Making."