3.10 Intakes Involving Foster Care Kinship Placements

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
Child Welfare Policy Manual

Chapter:

(3) Intakes

Policy Title:

Intakes Involving Foster Care Kinship Placements

Policy Number:

3.10

Previous Policy Number(s):

3.3, 3.14

Effective Date:

June 2026

Manual Transmittal:

2026-03

​Codes/References

N/A

​Requirements

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

  1. Receive Special Investigations involving:

    1. Children in DFCS custody

    2. Foster Care Kinship Placements

  2. Complete the Intake Assessment information gathering process with the reporter.

  3. Thoroughly analyze family functioning information gathered to make an intake decision.

    Assigned Special Investigations Intake Assessments bypass the Initial Safety Assessment track.

  4. Notify the legal and boarding (if applicable) County Director(s) and the CPS Intake Communication Center (CICC) Point of Contact(s) (POC) within two hours of the Intake Assessment screen-out disposition, when it involves a child in DFCS custody.

    The County Department shall conduct a face-to-face purposeful contact with the child and their caregiver(s) to confirm child safety within 24 hours of being notified of the screen-out intake assessment involving a child in DFCS custody in accordance with policy 10.18 Foster Care: Purposeful Contacts in Foster Care.

  5. Receive Intake Reports only alleging a policy violation(s) by Foster Care Kinship Caregivers.

  6. When the Intake Report involves a Child Death/Near Fatality/Serious Injury (CDNFSI) also adhere to policy 3.13 Intake: Intakes Involving a Child Death, Near Fatality or Serious Injury.

​Procedures

​Special Investigations

The Centralized Intake Specialist will:

  1. Complete the Intake Assessment information gathering process with the reporter in accordance with policy 3.1 Intake: Receiving Intake Reports.

  2. Input the Intake Assessment in Georgia SHINES:

    1. Classify the intake report as a Special Investigation: Maltreatment in Care (MIC) when the intake report involves a child in the custody of DFCS. See Practice Guidance: Special Investigations – Maltreatment in Care (MIC).

    2. Classify the intake report as a Special Investigation: Maltreatment Not in Care, when the intake report does not include a child in DFCS custody.

  3. Thoroughly analyze family functioning information gathered to make an intake decision in accordance with policy 3.2 Intake: Making an Intake Decision.

  4. Notify the legal and boarding (if applicable) County Director(s) and CICC POC(s) via email within two hours of the Intake Assessment screen-out disposition, when the Screen-out Intake Assessment involves a child in DFCS custody. Document in the Intake Assessment the notification to the County Director(s) and the CICC POC(s).

The Centralized Intake Specialist Supervisor will

  1. Thoroughly evaluate all information gathered to make an intake decision in accordance with policy 3.2 Intake: Making an Intake Decision.

  2. Review and approve the Special Investigation Intake Assessment in Georgia SHINES:

    1. Verify maltreatment in care exist; and

    2. Verify the Intake Assessment is classified as a Special Investigation.

  3. When the screen-out Intake Assessment involves a child in the custody of DFCS ensure email notification is provided to legal and boarding (if applicable) County Director(s) and CICC POC(s) within two hours of the screen-out Intake Assessment disposition and the notification is documented in the Intake Assessment.

​Policy Violation Assessment

The CIS will:

  1. Complete the Intake Assessment information gathering process with the reporter in accordance with policy 3.1 Intake: Receiving Intake Reports.

  2. Thoroughly analyze family functioning information gathered to make an intake decision in accordance with policy 3.2 Intake: Making an Intake Decision.

  3. Notify the following via email of the Policy Violation Assessment:

    1. The legal and boarding (if applicable) County Director(s); and

    2. The legal and boarding (if applicable) CICC POC(s).

    The CICC POC will notify the Permanency SSCM and SSS when Policy Violation Assessment involves a foster care kinship placement. All involved parties will also receive an alert in Georgia SHINES.

  4. Document in the Intake Assessment the notification of Policy Violation Assessment to the County Department.

  5. Submit the Policy Violation Assessment to the CISS in Georgia SHINES for approval.

The CISS will:

  1. Thoroughly analyze the family functioning information gathered to make an intake decision in accordance with policy 3.2 Intake: Making an Intake Decision.

  2. Ensure notification is provided to the legal and boarding (if applicable) County Director(s) and CICC POC(s) upon acceptance of a Policy Violation Assessment.

​Practice Guidance

​Children in DFCS Custody

Children in the legal temporary or permanent custody of DFCS.

​Foster Care Kinship Placements

Kinship Foster Care Placements provide temporary care for children in foster care of whom the caregivers are kin (relative or fictive kin). DFCS County Departments are responsible for evaluating, approving and monitoring kinship foster care placements.

​Special Investigations – Maltreatment in Care (MIC)

When intake reports are received alleging a child in DFCS custody has been abused, regardless of who has been alleged as the maltreater, the intake report must be classified as MIC in Georgia SHINES. Alternatively, when intake reports are received alleging a child in DFCS custody was abused prior to the child entering DFCS custody, the intake report is coded as a Special Investigation-Not Maltreatment in Care.

The relationship of the alleged maltreater may be different from the relationship selected on the Georgia SHINES Allegation Detail page and what is identified on the Person Detail page of the alleged maltreater. For example, the child may be in the foster care kinship placement of his aunt. On the aunt’s Person Detail page, the relationship is primary caregiver; however, if the aunt is the alleged maltreater, the aunt will be identified on the Allegation Detail page as the kin caregiver, not the aunt.

​Special Investigations – Case Name

For the protection of individual rights and ensuring confidentiality, case names are based on the placement type or setting and not the alleged maltreater or role of the alleged maltreater to the child.

SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS – CASE NAME DESCRIPTORS

Foster Care Kinship Placement

  • When the alleged victim child is in DFCS custody: Place in the name of the foster care kinship caregiver.

  • When the alleged victim child is in the custody of the foster care kinship caregiver: Place in the name of the foster care kinship caregiver.

NOTES

  • Trial Home Visit: Place in the name of the parent/guardian/legal custodian from whom the child was removed.

​Special Investigations Across County Lines

When an intake report involves a foster care kinship placement the case will be assigned to the county where the home is located. The assigned county will coordinate case management activities with the legal county.

​Policy Violations

Policy Violations are actions performed by a DFCS agent that may breach any DFCS policy and/or Room, Board, Watchful Oversight (RBWO) Minimum Standards, but do not constitute child abuse. For additional information on policy violations see policy 14.22 Resource Development: Policy Violations.

​Forms and Tools

N/A