6.0 Introduction to Special Investigations

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
Child Welfare Policy Manual

Chapter:

(6) Special Investigations

Policy Title:

Introduction to Special Investigations

Policy Number:

6.0

Previous Policy Number(s):

N/A

Effective Date:

November 2023

Manual Transmittal:

2023-03

Codes/References

O.C.G.A. § 19-7-5 Reporting of Child Abuse
O.C.G.A. § 49-5-8 Powers and Duties of Department of Human Services
O.C.G.A. § 49-5-40 Definitions; Confidentiality of Records; Restricted Access to Records
O.C.G.A. § 49-5-41 Persons and Agencies Permitted to Access Records
O.C.G.A. § 20-1A-12 Definitions
O.C.G.A. § 20-2-730 Policies and Regulations on the Use of Corporal Punishment
O.C.G.A. § 20-2-731 When and How Corporal Punishment May Be Administered
Title IV-E of the Social Security Act Section 471(a) (9)
Public Law 105-89 Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) of 1997
Final Notice of Statewide Data Indicators and National Standards for Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSR)

Discussion

As the designated child welfare agency in Georgia, the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) is legally mandated to investigate reports of known or suspected instances of child abuse; including physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, or negligent treatment/maltreatment under circumstances that indicate the child’s health or welfare is threatened. Federal and state laws also mandate Child Protective Services (CPS) Investigations that extend beyond the traditional parent-child domain. In Georgia, such investigations are handled as Special Investigations and include reports involving:

  1. A child death, near fatality or serious injury (CD/NF/SI).

  2. Children in DFCS custody.

  3. DFCS or Child Placing Agency (CPA) foster or adoptive home.

    A special investigation is required regardless of children currently being placed in the foster or adoptive home.
  4. Foster Care kinship placements.

  5. Residential Facilities, including Child Caring Institutions (CCI).

  6. Non-Residential Facilities including Child Care Learning Centers (CCLC), Day Camps, Family Child Care Learning Home/Home-Based Child Care.

  7. Overnight Camps.

  8. Public or Private Non-Residential Schools.

Maltreatment in Care (MIC) – Special Investigations

A special investigation alleging a child in DFCS custody has been abused, regardless of who has been alleged as the maltreater.

Types of Circumstances, Homes, Facilities and Placements – Requiring Special Investigations

  1. Children in DFCS Custody: Child in the legal temporary or permanent custody of DFCS.

  2. DFCS Foster or Adoptive Homes: DFCS foster homes provide temporary care for children in foster care. Similarly, DFCS adoptive homes provide care for children in foster care, however, the adoptive parents have formally committed to the adoption of the children. In addition, DFCS kinship foster homes or kinship adoptive homes, share the same corresponding responsibilities and requirements though the caregivers are kin to the children placed in their home. DFCS County Departments are responsible for evaluating, approving, and monitoring DFCS foster or adoptive homes.

  3. Child Placing Agency (CPA) Foster or Adoptive Homes: CPA foster homes provide temporary care for children in foster care. Similarly, CPA adoptive homes provide care for children in foster care, however, the adoptive parents have formally committed to the adoption of the children. CPA foster and adoptive homes are evaluated, approved, and administered by a CPA. A CPA is any institution, society, agency, or facility which places children in foster homes for temporary care or in prospective adoptive homes for adoption. The Office of Provider Management (OPM) and Residential Child Care Licensing (RCCL) is the oversight authorities for CPA foster or adoptive homes.

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

  5. Residential Facilities: Residential facilities provide full-time (24-hour) residential care to children and youth, outside of their home.

    1. Child Care Institutions (CCI): CCIs are residential facilities that provide full-time Room, Board and Watchful Oversight (RBWO) to six or more children through 18 years of age outside of their home environment. CCI may also be transitional living placements (TLP) for youth 16 through 21 years of age who have agreed to Extended Youth Support Services (EYSS) to prepare youth to become socially, emotionally and personally independent. The OPM and RCCL and are the oversight authorities of CCI.

      1. Children’s Transition Care Center (CTCC): CCI that provides a temporary, home-like environment for medically fragile children, technology dependent children, and children with special health care needs, up to 21 years of age, who are deemed clinically stable by a physician but are dependent on life-sustaining medications, treatments, and equipment. These children require assistance with activities of daily living to facilitate transitions from a hospital or other facility to a home or other appropriate setting. CTCCs are required to be licensed by RCCL.

      2. Maternity Homes (MH) /Parenting Support Program (Second Chance Homes): CCI that provides RBWO in a residential setting for adolescents during pregnancy who are 21 years of age and younger. MH provide service to pregnant youth before, during or within two weeks of childbirth through a maximum period of eight weeks following delivery. Second Chance Homes/Parenting Support Programs are licensed MH that provide services beyond the eight weeks following delivery to promote residents’ long-term independence and the well-being of their child(ren). MH are required to be licensed by RCCL.

      3. “Specialty” Camp / Outdoor Child Caring Program (OCCP): CCI that provides Room Board & Watchful Oversight (RBWO) along with a variety of outdoor activities taking place in a wilderness or camp environment that are designed to improve the emotional and behavioral adjustment of the children, through the age of 18 participating in the activities. OCCPs are required to be licensed by RCCL.

    2. Runaway and Homeless Youth Program (RHYP): RHYP are residential facilities that provide services to children who have run away or children who are homeless. RHYPs are required to be registered as a RHYP with RCCL. Licensed CCI can also be registered as a RHYP. RCCL is the oversight authority of RHYP.

    3. Independent Living Program (ILP) Placements: ILP Placements are residential facilities that provide youth who are at least 18 years of age through 21 years of age with an alternative living arrangement (i.e. community-based housing). The goal is to prepare youth to become socially, emotionally and personally independent of social services while connecting them to life-long permanent connections and laying the foundation for the pursuit of educational and career opportunities. OPM is the oversight authority of ILP Placements. In unusual circumstances a youth 17 years or younger may be in an ILP Placement, when this occurs, both OPM and RCCL are the oversight authorities.

    4. Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) : PRTF are residential facilities that provide comprehensive mental health and substance abuse treatment to children, adolescents, and young adults ages 5-21 who, due to severe emotional disturbance, need quality, active treatment that can only be provided in an inpatient treatment setting. Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) and Department of Community Health Healthcare Facility Regulations (HFR) are the oversight authorities of PRTFs.

    5. Regional Youth Detention Centers (RYDC): Secure short-term residential facilities centers for youth awaiting trial or waiting to enter a community program or long-term facility. Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is the oversight authority of RYDC.

    6. Youth Development Campuses (YDC): Secure long-term residential facilities for youth sentenced or committed to DJJ custody by juvenile courts. DJJ is the oversight authority of YDC.

  6. Non-Residential Facilities: Non-residential facilities provide less than full-time care outside of the home for children under the age of 18 years. Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) is the oversight authority for non-residential facilities

    1. Child Care Learning Centers (CCLC): CCLC are non-residential facilities that provide programs operated by a person, society, agency, corporation, institution, or group that receives pay for group care. Childcare learning centers cares for seven or more children under the age of 18 for less than 24 hours per day, without transfer of legal custody. Bright from the Start: DECAL either licenses or commissions childcare learning centers. Bright from the Start: DECAL is the oversight authority of CCLC.

    2. Early Head Start Programs: CCLC that provide early education and care programs for low-income children ages birth to three years old and their families. It also offers social, emotional, health, mental health, dental, nutrition, and family services as well as special needs requirements to the families it serves. Early Head Start Programs are required to be licensed or commissioned by Bright from the Start: DECAL.

    3. Head Start Programs: CCLC that provide early education and care programs for low-income children ages three to mandatory school age and their families. It also offers social, emotional, health, mental health, dental, nutrition and family services as well as special needs requirements to the families it serves. Head Start Programs are required to be licensed or commissioned by Bright from the Start: DECAL.

    4. Group Day Care Programs: CCLC that provide care and an early learning experiences to support and promote the healthy growth and development of children (i.e. Kids R Kids, Tootie Tots, Discovery Point). Group day care homes are required to be licensed or commissioned by Bright from the Start: DECAL.

      Group childcare programs, not operated in a residence, that are not subject to licensure are required to obtain an exemption from Bright from the Start. This will include programs such as Parent’s Morning Out/Night Out; Extracurricular activities: music, swimming lessons; childcare services on site with parents; Tutoring services programs; Programs operated by or affiliated with national member organization: Boys and Girls Club or Boy Scouts. See Bright from the Start: DECAL website at www.decal.ga.gov/CCS/Exemptions.aspx for the type of programs eligible for exemption. If a program is not approved for exemption, it is required to be licensed by Bright from the Start: DECAL.
    5. Pre-K: CCLC that provides educational programs for four years old children with a licensed capacity of 22 four-year-old children. The purpose is to prepare children for success in Kindergarten and later school years. Pre-K programs usually operate on the regular school system calendar for the length of a typical school day. Programs may be offered at local public schools or through private providers of preschool services. Pre-K programs are required to be licensed by Bright from the Start: DECAL.

    6. Day Camps: Day camps are programs for children five years and older that are operated between school terms, whose primary purpose is to provide organized recreational, religious, or instructional activities. The day camp programs may operate during summer and other school breaks and shall operate for no more than 12 hours per day. Day camps are required to obtain an exemption from Bright from the Start: DECAL. Bright from the Start: DECAL is the oversight authority of Day Camps.

    7. Family Child Care Learning Home/Home-Based Child Care: Family Child Care Learning Home/Home Based-Child Care are programs that operates in a private residential home less than 24 hours per day. It provides care for three children, but no more than six, under the age of 18 for pay. Family Child Care Learning Homes are required to be licensed by Bright from the Start: DECAL. Bright from the Start: DECAL is the oversight authority of Family Child Care Learning Home/Home-Based Child Care.

  7. Overnight Camps: Overnight camps are programs established solely for recreational and educational programs. Administered by internal policies. No registration, licensing, approval, or oversight authority.

  8. Schools: Schools are Institutions for educating children.

    1. Private Non-Residential Schools: Administered by internal policies. No requirements for accreditation, registration, licensing, or approval.

    2. Public Non-Residential Schools: Administered by area, county, or independent boards of education (ex: Fulton County Schools, Buford City Schools). Local school districts are supported by Georgia Department of Education (DOE).

Collaboration in Special Investigations

Special investigations require collaboration with both internal and external partners. These partners may include law enforcement, oversight authority, and/or other DFCS Social Services Case Manager’s (SSCM) based on the setting and/or type of special investigation. Cooperation between agencies and disciplines enables a more efficient process with less duplication, different perspectives, and allows for shared accountability by addressing safety issues in partnership with stakeholders.

Receipt of an Intake Report

Receipt of an intake report means the date and time a report alleging child abuse is received by DFCS from a reporter.

Initiating the Assessment (ISA, Investigations, Special Investigations, or FSS)

Initiating the assessment is defined as making or attempting to contact the family or another person who can provide information essential to the disposition of the investigation or assessment.

CPS Communication Center (CICC) contacting the family or another person during the intake assessment phase to determine the location of the alleged maltreated child does not constitute initiation of the assessment.

Response Time

Response time means the date and time from the receipt of an intake report to the time of making face-to-face contact with the alleged victim child(ren). Receipt of an intake report means the date and time a report alleging child abuse is received by DFCS from a reporter.

Parent(s)

Parent(s) is used to refer to person(s) legally obligated to provide or secure adequate care for a child including his/her parent, guardian, or legal custodian.

Caregiver

Throughout this chapter, the general term “caregiver” is used to collectively refer to:

  1. Any person providing a residence for a child

  2. Any person legally obligated to provide or secure adequate care for a child

  3. Other adults that continually or at regular intervals live in the home

  4. A foster parent

  5. A foster care kinship caregiver

  6. An employee of a public or private residential facility, childcare institution, daycare/childcare facility; or school personnel.