24th Annual Pennsylvania Permanency Conference
Call for Workshop Proposals
THE CONFERENCE FOCUS
The 24th Annual Pennsylvania Permanency Conference, Bravery*Courage*Triumph,
sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Children, Youth and
Families, Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network and Independent Living Services, serves
as a forum to educate, train and support participants to prepare children, older youth and
families to move through the child welfare system towards permanency. The conference is a
focal point for networking and sharing information to increase the knowledge base for child and
adolescent issues in special needs adoptions and permanency.
CONFERENCE DATES:
CONFERENCE LOCATION:
WHO MAY SUBMIT PROPOSALS:
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION:
SEND PROPOSALS TO:
June 15 - 17, 2016
Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in Pocono Manor, PA
Any interested parties are encouraged to submit
November 6, 2015
conferencing@diakon-swan.org
PURPOSE
This conference is designed for resource families, kinship care providers, permanent legal custodians,
independent living workers, legal professionals, permanency professionals, child welfare workers and
others with a vested interest in providing permanency services for children and adolescents.
PRESENTER BENEFITS
Primary presenters and one co-presenter will receive a complimentary one-day conference
registration on the day of their presentation, or a discounted registration fee to attend additional
days of the conference and mileage reimbursement for auto travel. Additional information and a
custom registration form will be sent with the speaker agreement form.
SUGGESTED TOPICS
Please use the topics below as a guide as you prepare your submission. Proposals will be selected for
their relevance to the conference theme, Bravery*Courage*Triumph, engaging format, style,
clarity, content, originality, ability to be replicated, cultural competency and interest to the targeted
audience.
 Adolescent issues
 Legal support and challenges
 Cross-systems collaboration
 Parenting the child with special needs
 Education & vocational training
 Professional/family member co Family group decision making / group
presentations are encouraged
conferencing
 Services for older youth/independent
 Impact of abuse / neglect on
living
permanency
 Sexual identity
 Impact of substance abuse on
 Timely permanency for foster youth
permanency
NOTIFICATION
If your proposal is selected, notification and all subsequent correspondence will be sent only to the
lead presenter listed. Please share this information with all co-presenters.
SUBMISSION
Please use the Workshop Proposal application attached to this announcement.
24th Annual Pennsylvania Permanency Conference Workshop Proposal
Title of Presentation Click here to enter text.
Primary Presenter Name Click here to enter text.
Affiliation Click here to enter text.
Title Click here to enter text.
Address Click here to enter text.
Work Phone Click here to enter text.
Cell Phone Click here to enter text.
Email Click here to enter text.
Co-Presenter:
(If more than one co-presenter, please submit additional co-presenters on a separate sheet.)
Co-Presenter Name Click here to enter text.
Affiliation Click here to enter text.
Title Click here to enter text.
Address Click here to enter text.
Work Phone Click here to enter text.
Cell Phone Click here to enter text.
Email Click here to enter text.
Type (Choose one):
☐ Workshop (1.5 hours)
Availability (please check all that apply):
☐ Wednesday, June 15 - PM Session
☐ Thursday, June 16 - PM Session
☐ Institute (3 hours – Thursday only)
☐ Thursday, June 16 - AM Session
☐ Friday, June 17 - AM Session
Category (Consider carefully and select one category to ensure your presentation fits the definition):
☐ Foundational - This category describes workshops that deal with the basic, fundamental practices
and philosophy of all permanency work. Foundational workshops would include those that deal with
topics essential to good practice. These workshops would contain topics necessary for providers and
recipients of SWAN/IL services to understand as they lay the foundation for all the quantifiable work that
comes after them. Examples include workshops on Grief and Loss, Trauma, Infertility, Search and
Reunion, Ethics, SWAN values, etc.
☐ Traditional - This category describes workshops that support and incorporate accepted
foundational principles, but then explore the real, actual practice using a variety tools, tips and
techniques. The intended outcome of these workshops is to help attendees understand and obtain
tangible information and activities that enhance their day to day work. Examples include Unit of Service
workshops, post-permanency, parenting, anger management, engagement, etc.
☐ Innovative - This category describes workshops that weave in foundational practices, but in order
to meet new or increasing demands, have developed inventive and/or resourceful practices to meet new
challenges. Examples of this type of workshop include how agencies have met the criteria of new
legislation or mandates (i.e. Concurrent Planning bulletin), and what has been put in place that may be
fresh or groundbreaking. This category provides the opportunity to highlight new thinking around issues
of practice.
Workshop Proposal - page 2
Intended audience (Consider carefully your target audience, include prior knowledge needed):
☐ Families
☐ Permanency/IL Professionals
☐ Advocates
☐ Child Welfare Workers
☐ Legal Professionals
Presentation title and description (please include the following required elements. Proposals will
not be considered without the following information):
 Title of Presentation (Session titles need to be very short - no more than eight words):
Click here to enter text.

Concise Description: This description helps participants make informed decisions about
which sessions to attend. The concise description appears in the conference brochure and
should be between 25 and 40 words in length.
Click here to enter text.

Detailed Description: This more in-depth description assists conference committee
selection members to make informed selections, especially if there are two or more
proposals about the same topic.
Click here to enter text.
Please note: If you submit a proposal for the permanency conference based on work or research done by
someone else, you must obtain the proper permissions from the original researcher or author and submit
those permissions with your proposal. Conferencing staff is not responsible for verifying the originality of
submissions and cannot be held accountable for presenters' copyright infringements or other violations of
ownership rights.
Audio Visual (The following items will be set up in each workshop room):
 LCD Projector
 Computer Speakers
 Flip chart/easel/markers, screen and
 Wireless Internet
AV cart
 For panel presentations, table top
 Laptop will be provided
microphones, front tables and chairs
will be provided.
Email this form (attached as Word document ONLY) to: conferencing@diakon-swan.org by
November 6, 2015.