1.1 Access, Distribution and Review of Child Welfare Policies

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
Child Welfare Policy Manual

Chapter:

(1) Administration

Policy Title:

Access, Distribution and Review of Child Welfare Policies

Policy Number:

1.1

Previous Policy Number(s):

1.3

Effective Date:

April 2026

Manual Transmittal:

2026-01

​Codes/References

N/A

​Requirements

The Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) will:

  1. Maintain a Child Welfare Services Policy Manual (CWSPM) that:

    1. Defines and affirms child welfare program requirements, procedures and practices in accordance with applicable federal and state laws, and best practice.

    2. Serves as a critical resource that guides child welfare staff in the provision of child welfare services to achieve successful outcomes for safety, permanency and wellbeing of children and families served.

  2. Utilize the CWSPM to promote staff proficiency in obtaining current and accurate information on the agency’s child welfare policies essential to the successful operation of the child welfare programs.

  3. Provide notification of new and updated policies via Child Welfare Services Manual Transmittal (CWSMT) or Child Welfare Services County Letter (CWSCL).

  4. Require child welfare policies to be formally reviewed by child welfare staff within 30 calendar days of each policy release to promote consistency in knowledge and application.

  5. Maintain a record of child welfare staff policy review for policy release.

  6. Seek policy clarification and consultation as needed to support staff proficiency.

  7. Monitor the implementation of child welfare policies to ensure integration into practice.

​Procedures

​Child Welfare Manager / Administrator / Supervisor

  1. Verify staff have access to electronic releases of child welfare policies.

    Regional and County managers should ensure that all staff under their direct supervision are included in the DFCS-All email listing so they receive direct communication on policy releases.

  2. Provide staff with information on how to access child welfare policies and how to seek clarification when needed.

  3. Review each CWSMT, CWSCL, or Child Welfare Services Memorandum with each employee within their oversight within 30 calendar days of issuance (see Practice Guidance: Types of Policy Correspondence).

    Policy review may occur during individual supervision, during monthly unit meetings or other team meetings.

  4. Maintain a record of the policy review held with child welfare staff for each policy release.

  5. Coordinate with the Lead Field Program Specialist (FPS) or designee to:

    1. Conduct policy training and case reviews;

    2. Disseminate and discuss policy updates in meetings (e.g. regional and county supervisory team meetings, summits, county staff meetings or meetings of multiple social services units) as long as:

      1. The meeting takes place no later than 30 calendar days from the date the policy correspondence is issued;

      2. The meeting agenda includes the name or number of the correspondence;

      3. A list of attendees is maintained by the meeting facilitator; and

      4. Information in items i-iii is distributed to the County Director/Designee responsible for such record maintenance.

    3. Seek policy clarification, consultation, and support from the FPS.

      The FPS may seek clarification from the Policy and Regulations Unit, as needed.

​Office of Provider Management

  1. The Office of Provider Management will:

  2. Provide notification of new and revised policies to Child Placing Agencies (CPAs) and Child Caring Institutions (CCIs).

  3. Provide information to CPA and CCIs on how to access to the CWSPM to review policies.

  4. Maintain a record of all policy correspondence to providers to include the date received and the date(s) provided to ensure implementation.

​County Director / Designee / State Level Director

  1. Encourage supervisory/management staff to review child welfare policies with their staff.

  2. Provide opportunities for staff to read and discuss application of policies within 30 calendar days of release.

  3. Engage local partners and stakeholders to share applicable policy changes.

  4. Maintain a record of policy reviews for each policy release.

​Practice Guidance

​Accessing the Child Welfare Services Policy Manual

DFCS child welfare policies are housed in the CWSPM which is managed by the Policy and Manual Management System (PAMMS). To access the CWSPM:.

  1. Go to the PAMMS homepage at: Policy and Manual Management System (PAMMS)at: [pamms.dhs.ga.gov/dfcs/cws/]

  2. Select “Division of Family and Children Services”

  3. Select “Child Welfare Services” which expands to the:

    1. Child Welfare Policy Manual chapters; and

    2. Appendix Section that has:

      1. Child Welfare Services Manual Transmittals

      2. Child Welfare Services County Letters

      3. Forms and Tools

​Child Welfare Policy Format

The child welfare policies format is as follows:

  1. Codes/References: Applicable federal and state laws and regulations.

  2. Requirements: Policy statements/actions/directives based on the federal and/or state laws, regulations or best practice.

    Federally mandated requirements from title IV-E of the Social Security Act are italicized. Requirements set forth by federal law included in this section are stated exactly or as close as possible to the language in the law.

  3. Procedures: A series of steps to accomplish the requirements.

  4. Practice Guidance: Thoughtful and practical guidance on how to effectively integrate policy into child welfare service provision to achieve positive family and child outcomes. This section also provides definitions and clarification on complex matters.

  5. Forms and Tools: Applicable tools, forms and resources to support child welfare practice. All Forms and Tools are also available in Appendix C of the CWSPM.

​Types of Policy Correspondence

  1. Child Welfare Services Manual Transmittal (CWSMT): Provides the purpose and a brief overview of new or revised child welfare policies published on PAMMS. CWSMTs are disseminated electronically to all DFCS staff. CWSMT’s are available in Appendix A of the CWSPM.

  2. Child Welfare Services County Letter (CWSCL): Provides new or revised child welfare policy in advance of a CWSMT when there is a need to communicate more immediate policy changes to staff. CWSCLs are published in Appendix B of the CWSPM.

  3. Child Welfare Services Memorandum: Provides clarification or reinforces policy and/or practice.

​Policy Dissemination

Uniform dissemination of policy is critical for consistency and integration of policy into practice. The three primary reasons for dissemination are:

  1. Awareness: staff are aware of any changes to the work, as well as required activities and outcomes.

  2. Understanding: staff fully understand the scope of the policy and are equipped with the skills and knowledge to carry out their responsibilities.

  3. Action: staff take necessary actions to implement the change in practice resulting from new or revised policy.

Each manager/supervisor should ensure that policy dissemination efforts provide information not only for awareness, but for understanding and action. The most successful dissemination strategies actively engage staff and deliver what they need in a clear and concise manner. The strategies should vary to suit different learning styles. Therefore, training, case reviews and summits can be developed differently and delivered in various formats to adjust to the policies being disseminated, and to achieve the biggest impact.

​Policy Clarification and Consultation

All staff are responsible for reviewing policies to gain an understanding of the provisions and seek clarification when needed. Staff should seek policy guidance and clarification through their regular supervisory channels, and then through the Regional FPS who have policy expertise. The Regional FPS provides policy guidance within each program area, advises on the impact of the policies, supports integrating new policy into practice, and seek further consultation when needed from the Policy and Regulations Unit at PPPDUnit@dhs.ga.gov.

​Policy and Regulations Unit (PRU)

The PRU is responsible for maintaining and disseminating child welfare policies. This includes but is not limited to:

  1. Publishing and maintaining the CWSPM on PAMMS.

  2. Researching, analyzing and interpreting relevant state and federal laws, regulations and guidance for applicability to child welfare policy and practice.

  3. Developing and updating child welfare policies to align with state and federal laws as well as best practices.

  4. Maintaining a transparent, collaborative and consensus-based policy development process through the engagement of subject matter experts, internal and external stakeholders, focus groups, workgroups, the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC), and policy surveys.

  5. Disseminating policies to DFCS' child welfare staff.

  6. Partnering with the Regional FPS to support their regional policy dissemination procedures.

  7. Partnering with Training and Professional Development unit to support updates to the training curriculum or other training materials/tools.

  8. Partnering with Georgia SHINES to support system enhancements.

  9. Providing targeted policy training and ongoing policy consultation for all levels of staff.

​Forms and Tools

Policy and Manual Management System (PAMMS)