14.15 Household Approval Status

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
Child Welfare Policy Manual

Chapter:

(14) Resource Development

Policy Title:

Household Approval Status

Policy Number:

14.15

Previous Policy Number(s):

N/A

Effective Date:

May 2024

Manual Transmittal:

2024-03

Codes/References

N/A

Requirements

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

  1. Assign the appropriate household approval status for each caregiver to reflect the current assessment of whether the caregiver meets the DFCS Safety and Quality Standards (see policy 14.1 Resource Development: Safety and Quality Standards).

    Child Placing Agencies (CPAs) are responsible for approving their caregivers’ homes in accordance with the DFCS Safety and Quality Standards, Residential Childcare rules and regulations, and the guidelines of any other governing authority.

  2. Assign household approval status according to the following definitions:

    1. Inquiry: Status assigned to a prospective caregiver at the point of inquiry;

    2. Applicant (Pre-Service Training): A prospective caregiver has begun pre-service training;

    3. Waiting List: A prospective caregiver is interested in adopting a non-special needs child;

    4. Pending Full Approval: A household meets the requirements for Full Approval status and is awaiting approval by the final approving authority (i.e., DFCS County Director/Designee or CPA Director/Designee);

    5. Pending Full Approval-Special: A household meets the requirements for Full Approval-Special status and is awaiting approval by the final approving authority;

    6. Full Approval: A household meets the Safety and Quality Standards and has been approved by the final approving authority;

    7. Full Approval-Special: The household home meets the Safety and Quality Standards, operates a family childcare learning home, and has been approved by the final approving authority.

    8. Pending Unapproved: Approval is being denied or withdrawn and the action is awaiting approval by the final approving authority;

    9. Unapproved: A household is no longer in an approved status.

    10. Pending Closure: Closure has been initiated and the action is awaiting approval by the final approving authority;

    11. Closed: A household has no active placements and is closed.

    New placements may not be made in a home with a ‘pending' or ‘closed' status.

  3. Use Child Placing Agency (CPA) foster homes for the placement of children in DFCS custody only after the Office of Provider Management (OPM) documents and approves the home in Georgia SHINES as being in Full Approval or Full Approval-Special status.

  4. Only grant Full Approval or Full Approval-Special status to caregivers who have been assessed to meet the Safety and Quality Standards at initial approval, re-evaluation, or any other time a reassessment is warranted during their ongoing service.

    Re-assessment is warranted at any time during the approval term when observed or reported changes in the household indicate the household may no longer meet the Safety and Quality Standards.

  5. Grant Full Approval and Full Approval-Special status for a term of no longer than twenty-four months at a time.

  6. Update the household approval status in Georgia SHINES within one business day of the change.

Procedures

Resource Development (RD) staff will:

  1. Determine if any changes have occurred in a caregiver’s household or personal circumstances that impact approval status.

  2. Immediately update a caregiver’s approval status in Georgia SHINES, as needed, to accurate reflect the appropriate approval status.

Practice Guidance

N/A

Forms and Tools

N/A