Implementation fidelity of the family finding intervention: the perspectives of permanency specialists

Family Finding is a six-step intervention designed to support older youth lingering in foster care. Through the intervention, permanency specialists discover and engage family members and significant adults who can support youth in their transition to independent living. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to explore the intervention's implementation fidelity, learn about permanency specialists' experiences using the Family Finding intervention, and to offer recommendations for ways to improve on the implementation of the intervention. The findings suggest that permanency specialists do not deliver the intervention according to the six steps as intended. The participants modified the actual steps of the intervention and reported that they lack specific measurements against which to assess implementation fidelity. The findings of this study are significant to those who apply the intervention such as program developers, policy practitioners, and researchers.