Pono Process

Working together to honor youth rights. 

An additional support for children and youth in foster care to use in the events that their rights are not being honored or upheld. 

• Youth Friendly: Easy to access and easy to understand
• Youth Voice/Engagement: Young person is heard and involved 
• Free From Retaliation: Young person is not punished or removed for filing a grievance 
• Timely: Action on the grievance process will occur quickly and efficiently 
• Respectful and Empathetic: Staff who handle the grievances will be respectful and helpful in supporting the young person
• Neutrality: Separate "Navigator" to receive and field initial grievances
• Communication and Transparency: 1) Youth and relevant parties notified and action taken and, 2) Results of grievance or request conveyed in a timely manner 
• Accountability and Authority: Chain of command, panel or decision-making team that has authority or can hold people accountable to make things happen 
• Confidentiality: Young person's information when filing a grievance will remain with appropriate parties only and handled in a way that does not disparage the young person or peg them as a "trouble-maker" to outside parties or team members