georgiacourts.org :: Child Placement Project

Placement and Stability

The Ensuring Placement Stability project seeks to determine ways in which the judiciary can assist in assuring placement stability for children in deprivation cases. Members of the commission will identify specific steps that might be taken by the judicial system to increase the placement stability of children in foster care, thereby minimizing the negative impact on children’s educational, health and social development.

Major Goals for Ensuring Placement Stability:

1. Explore the judiciary’s legal role in ensuring placement stability for children in foster care

Strategies-stakeholder meetings, published paper, teaching opportunities

2. Protocols need to be developed and studied for effectiveness in preventing placement moves

Strategies—collect research on what works to stabilize placement such as: good initial assessments, placement with relatives, specialized foster care, other stability factors such as school, siblings, medical.

Example: Georgia judges can ensure that the DFCS assessment is presented in court in a timely manner and that the recommended placement is followed and if not, explain why on the record. Rationale: A Georgia DFCS sponsored study revealed that children who received the preferred placement according to their assessment remained stable 92% at year one. (link to study) Those that did not receive the preferred placement were stable 68% at year one. The conclusion drawn at the end of the study was that following the recommended placement equals great placement stability. Georgia judges can ensure that the DFCS assessment is presented in court in a timely manner and that the recommended placement is followed and if not, explain why on the record.

3. Historical hearing form to be used in all announcements of court hearings

Strategies - Judge or attorney introduce every child’s case with small history including the child’s name, age, placement type, number of placements up to that time, and recommended placement for the said child based on the initial assessment.