13.21 Annual Permanency Reviews

Legal Authority

Annual permanency reviews are held every twelve (12) months in the court, which is responsible for reviewing the permanency plan.
As long as the child is in an adoptive placement, annual permanency reviews are continued until the adoption judgment has been granted by the circuit or family court.
Adoptive parents have the right to have their attorney present, at the court’s discretion.
If the adoptive placement disrupts or the child’s status in the home changes from adoption to foster care and the child is recommitted to the Cabinet, annual permanency reviews are reinstated.

The SSW:

Notifies the court of the need for an annual permanency review (APR) sixty (60) days prior to the twelve (12) month deadline;
Notifies the adoptive parents of the APR at least seven (7) days prior to the court date. ¹

Notification includes information on the purpose, time and location of the review and who is to attend.