Having the Normalcy Conversation

Learn the importance of normalcy for youth in foster care and understand the importance of regular discussions about its implementation among everyone involved.

This series aims to advance organizational knowledge about the importance of normalcy for young people in foster care and to facilitate regular discussions about its implementation among all stakeholders, including young people themselves.

Having the Normalcy Conversation: A Guide for Discussing Developmentally Appropriate Services for Children, Youth, and Young Adults in Foster Care introduces and defines “normalcy” and surrounding concepts and describes their importance for young people currently and formerly in foster care. The publication describes the legal foundation for normalcy in child welfare and discusses important topics to cover in a normalcy conversation.
Having the Normalcy Conversation: Sample Agenda describes best practices for facilitators in setting up a normalcy conversation and provides sample agendas for conducting one.
Having the Normalcy Conversation: Youth Engagement provides a five-step framework to help organizations promote youth engagement in normalcy conversations about the youth’s own care, including strategies to notify, educate, prepare, engage, and get feedback from all stakeholders in the normalcy conversation process.