10.25 Youth Absent Without Permission (AWOP)

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
Child Welfare Policy Manual

Chapter:

Foster Care

Policy Title:

Youth Absent Without Permission (AWOP)

Policy Number:

10.25

Previous Policy Number(s):

1011.16.1

Effective Date:

May 2024

Manual Transmittal:

2024-05

Codes/References

N/A

Requirements

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

  1. When a youth, age 14 and older, in the custody of DFCS is determined to be absent without permission (AWOP):

    1. Make efforts to ascertain the youth’s whereabouts.

    2. Assess whether the youth is in danger. Immediately contact law enforcement any time there is reason to believe a youth may be in danger.

    3. Determine if a youth who is absent without permission is missing.

    4. Determine whether law enforcement intervention is necessary, or if the matter can be successfully resolved without law enforcement involvement (i.e., the youth returns or is located).

    This requirement also applies to the caregiver and/or the placement provider.

  2. When the youth is determined to be missing, follow policy 19.22 Case Management: Missing Children.

Procedures

Youth is AWOP

The caregiver or placement provider will:

  1. Make efforts to ascertain the youth’s whereabouts.

  2. Assess whether the youth is in any danger considering the following:

    1. The youth’s location.

    2. Person(s) with whom the youth is with.

    3. Any information the youth or others may have shared regarding potential dangers to self or from others.

    4. Whether the caregiver/provider suspects the child is in danger.

  3. Contact the DFCS Social Services Case Manager (SSCM) for assistance locating the youth if unable to locate the youth after searching for more than three hours. Always contact the DFCS Social Services Supervisor (SSS) if the SSCM cannot be reached.

  4. Immediately contact law enforcement and notify the SSCM any time there is reason to believe a youth is in danger or is missing.

Upon Notification Youth is AWOP

The DFCS SSCM will:

  1. Inform and seek guidance from the Social Services Supervisor (SSS).

  2. Work in conjunction with the caregiver to ascertain the youth’s whereabouts.

  3. Determine if any of the youth’s possessions are missing.

  4. Attempt to contact the youth via phone, text messaging, social media (as agency policies permit). Utilize voicemail, text messaging and other messaging to communicate to the youth the need to return to a safe place (e.g., police station, fire department, hospital, government building, or homeless shelter).

  5. Determine when, where and with whom the youth was last seen.

  6. Try to ascertain the youth’s state of mind when last seen by considering questions such as the following:

    1. Did the youth say or do anything unusual the last time the youth was seen?

    2. What was the youth’s mood?

    3. Did the youth talk about wanting to go to a particular place or event?

    4. Did the youth talk about running away?

  7. Determine if other children at the placement are aware of the youth’s plans, friends, and contact information for the youth’s friends.

  8. Contact the youth’s friends to determine if they are aware of the youth’s whereabouts and/or their plans.

  9. Visit locations where the youth is known to frequent (e.g., school, park, movie theatre).

  10. Contact the youth’s parents, extended family members and other adults who work with the youth to gather information that may be of assistance in locating the youth. Ensure all parties understand their legal responsibility to notify DFCS should the youth contact them.

  11. Document all actions taken on the Contact Detail page in Georgia SHINES.

Youth is Located or Returns to the Placement

The caregiver will:

  1. Notify the DFCS SSCM immediately by telephone or email.

  2. Interview the youth to obtain information regarding the AWOP episode.

  3. Assist the youth in making a contingency plan for situations that might lead to a reoccurrence of the AWOP episode.

The SSCM will:

  1. Notify the parents that the youth has been located (if the parents were contacted during the search for the youth).

  2. Interview the youth within 72 hours of their return. This may be done concurrently with the caregiver unless a private conversation with the youth seems more appropriate for the situation (see Practice Guidance for sample interview questions).

    1. The frequency and nature of a youth’s absence governs how the interview is handled. The goal is to have a discussion with the youth that helps to resolve the underlying issue(s) contributing to the youth being absent without permission.

    2. Document the interview in Georgia SHINES within 72 hours.

  3. Consider whether a runaway prevention plan is warranted (see policy 19.22 Case Management: Missing Children).

Practice Guidance

Youth Absent without Permission (AWOP)

Youth classified as “absent without permission” are youth in the custody of DFCS, age of 14 and older who fit the following description:

  1. Purposely breaks curfew;

  2. Habitually returns late to their placement (e.g., arrives late from school); and/or

  3. Their whereabouts are thought to be known by the placement provider and/or DFCS.

Verifying a Youth’s Whereabouts (Examples)

  1. Contact the youth via cell phone or other phone based on their last known location (i.e., school, community center, etc.).

  2. If a youth failed to return home from an event or location, contact the event sponsor (e.g., scout leader) or location manager (e.g., school principal) to determine if the youth is still at the event/location or was delayed in departing.

  3. If a youth was authorized to visit with friends, contact the household being visited to determine if the youth’s departure was delayed.

  4. If a youth’s whereabouts are unknown and the youth failed to keep curfew, contact the youth’s known associates, including other children residing in the household/facility in an effort to locate and encourage the youth’s return.

Interview with the Caregiver

The SSCM should explore the following issues with the caregiver:

  1. Has the youth ever done this before? If so, how many times, how long was the youth gone, and where did the youth go?

  2. Who is the youth permitted to visit and where? (e.g., neighborhood, home, school)?

  3. Are the youth’s friends known to the caregiver?

  4. Are the parents of the youth’s friends known by the caregiver?

  5. What are the rules of the residence concerning when and where youth may go without first securing the caregiver’s permission? Has the youth been informed of the rules?

  6. Are there issues being experienced by the caregiver that may have contributed to the youth being AWOP? (e.g., marital conflict, increased stress)

  7. What steps can be taken to avoid future occurrences of AWOP?

Interview with Youth Returning from AWOP

The interview should be conducted in a manner that demonstrates empathy and concern for the youth, while also communicating to youth that their safety is the primary concern.

The SSCM and placement provider should explore the following questions with the youth:

  1. Why did you leave your placement and/or not return as expected? (Explore what they expected to accomplish)

  2. Were you encouraged to stay away? If so, by whom?

  3. Where did you go? (list all the places)

  4. With whom did you spend time while you were away and what is your relationship to them? (e.g., friends, family)

  5. Did you engage in any risky behaviors while away? (e.g., sexual activity, substance abuse, shoplifting or other petty crime, etc.)

  6. Were you the victim of a crime while you were away?

  7. What were some of the reasons you returned?

  8. What would prevent you from being AWOP in the future?

Forms and Tools

N/A