Which option is NOT a permanency option for a child?

• A. Reunification
• B. Adoption
• C. Guardianship
• D. Short-term foster care with no long-term plan

Answer: (D)

Permanency means arranging a lasting, legally recognized family for a child. Reunification aims to bring the child back to their birth family when it is safe and appropriate. Adoption creates a permanent, legal parent-child relationship. Guardianship transfers substantial rights and responsibilities to a caregiver while providing long-term stability. Short-term foster care with no long-term plan is not a permanency option because it is meant to be temporary and lacks a defined, enduring arrangement. In practice, permanency planning should always lead to a lasting placement; without a planned long-term outcome, the placement remains temporary and does not satisfy permanency goals.