14.18 Supervision of Children

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
Child Welfare Policy Manual

Chapter:

(14) Resource Development

Policy Title:

Supervision of Children

Policy Number:

14.18

Previous Policy Number(s):

14.18, 14.26

Effective Date:

May 2024

Manual Transmittal:

2024-03

Codes/References

O.C.G.A. § 49-5-8.1 Short-term Respite Care of Child in Foster Care; Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard
Title IV-E of the Social Security Act Sections 471(a)(10), 471(a)(24), 475(10), and (11)
Public Law (PL) 113-183 Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act of 2014

Requirements

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

  1. Require foster parents to provide safe and appropriate supervision for each child in DFCS custody that has been placed under their care and oversight.

    1. Foster parents must use an adult (at least 18 years of age) for the supervision of children in DFCS custody.

      Foster parents can make reasonable and prudent parenting decisions when determining whether to allow youth 14 years of age and older to be left under their own supervision for short periods of time (see Practice Guidance: Supervision of Older Youth).

    2. Foster parents shall make reasonable and prudent parenting decisions in assessing the appropriateness of the activities and approving the plan of supervision before children participate in activities during which they will not be under the direct supervision or oversight of their approved foster care provider, DFCS staff, or DFCS authorized provider (see policy 10.14 Foster Care: Promoting Normalcy for Children in Foster Care).

    3. Foster parents must be reasonably assured that any substitute caregivers possess the necessary skills to manage the parenting and/or special needs of the children left in their care and that the substitute caregivers will follow DFCS guidelines regarding supervision, discipline, and other safety practices.

  2. Allow foster parents to arrange for routine care (unreimbursed) for children in DFCS custody. Routine means more than once a week, usually at designated times. Conduct safety screenings and criminal records checks (CRC) on prospective routine caregivers.

  3. Allow foster parents to arrange for occasional or short-term unreimbursed respite care for relief of the foster parent by a person or entity. Safety screenings and criminal records checks are not required for occasional or short-term respite care up to 72 consecutive hours.

    1. Foster parents shall use the reasonable and prudent parenting standard in selecting and arranging appropriate respite care.

    2. ‘Occasional' means once per week or less on varying days and not exceeding twice per month.

    3. 'Short-term' means up to 72 consecutive hours, or for longer periods of time.

      Short-term respite care for longer than 72 consecutive hours is hereafter referred to as “Extended Respite Care”.

  4. Require the following of foster parents when using short-term respite care (up to 72 consecutive hours)

    1. Document the use of short-term respite care (up to 72 consecutive hours) by completing the Unreimbursed Substitute In-Home/Out-of-Home Caregivers form.

    2. Review the Caregiver Child Safety Agreement with short-term respite caregivers and provide them a copy.

    3. Inform DFCS of the use of short-term respite caregivers by submitting the Unreimbursed Substitute In-Home/Out-of-Home Caregivers form to the local DFCS.

  5. Require the following to use (unreimbursed) Extended Respite Care:

    1. Advance written notice (at least 72 hours is recommended) from the foster parents of their intent to use Extended Respite Care to the DFCS Social Services Case Manager (SSCM) or such SSCM’s supervisor and, if applicable, the CPA.

      1. The advance written notice shall include the full name of the respite caregiver, the address where the respite care will occur (e.g., in the foster home), and when the respite care period will begin and end.

      2. Email is the preferred method for providing advance notice to DFCS and, if applicable, the CPA.

    2. An assessment of the prospective Extended Respite caregiver to determine their suitability to provide temporary care for the child(ren) prior to providing extended respite care:

      1. Safety screenings on the prospective respite caregivers and all adults residing in the home.

        Safety screenings must be conducted annually.

      2. A check of the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database utilizing electronic fingerprinting (Live Scan) on the prospective respite caregivers and all adults residing in the home.

        CRCs for extended respite caregivers are valid for one year.

      3. Completion of the DFCS designated pre-service respite training by the prospective respite caregivers.

      4. A home visit and face-to-face interview with the prospective respite caregivers and all household members.

      5. An assessment of the prospective respite caregivers’ physical home environment to determine if it is safe and appropriate to meet the needs of each child.

      6. A review of the Caregiver Child Safety Agreement and Unreimbursed Substitute In-Home/Out-of-Home Caregivers form with the prospective respite caregivers. Caregivers must sign and receive a copy of the agreement.

      An assessment is not required for a foster parent to provide (unreimbursed) Extended Respite Care for another foster parent.

    3. Written approval (email preferred) from DFCS prior to utilizing extended respite care. DFCS County Director approval is required for extended respite care.

      The regional director or designee is responsible for coordinating the approval for extended respite care if the foster parent requests extended respite care for children from multiple counties or regions.

  6. Provide paid respite care as a support service to foster parents who need time away from their parenting responsibilities.

    1. Foster parents may receive 10 calendar days of paid respite per fiscal year (taken individually or consecutively).

    2. Paid respite may only be provided by an approved foster parent.

    3. Foster homes providing paid respite may not exceed their approved capacity without a waiver from the applicable DFCS County Director or CPA Director.

  7. Require foster parents to provide to routine caregivers, occasional or short-term respite caregivers (including extended respite caregivers), and paid respite caregivers with the following prior to leaving a child in their care:

    1. Information about the child’s emotional, behavioral, medical, and physical condition, if any, necessary to provide care for such child during the supervision period.

    2. Any medication that should be administered to the child during the supervision period.

    3. Emergency contact information that is valid for the duration of the supervision period.

  8. Maintain open communication with foster parents regarding the use of routine and respite caregivers and their plan for ensuring the care and supervision of the children placed in their home.

  9. Require foster parents to report any of the following to the County DFCS or supervising CPA immediately but no later than 24 hours of the occurrence:

    1. Serious illness impacting a child placed in their home (e.g., flu, serious infections);

    2. Injuries sustained by a child placed in their home (e.g., burns, cuts, bruises, fractures); and

    3. Accidents involving any child placed in their home (e.g., auto, bicycle, fall).

Procedures

Routine Care (unreimbursed)

The Social Services Case Manager (SSCM) will:

  1. Confirm that a foster parent plans to use a caregiver to provide routine care for a child in DFCS custody.

  2. Review and complete the Unreimbursed Substitute In-Home/Out-of-Home Caregivers form and Caregiver Child Safety Agreement with the prospective routine caregiver:

    1. Provide a copy of the Caregiver Child Safety Agreement to the prospective routine caregiver.

    2. Obtain the prospective routine caregiver’s signature on the forms.

  3. Add the prospective routine caregiver to the Georgia SHINES Person List page.

  4. Complete safety screenings in accordance with policy 19.9 Case Management: Safety Screenings. If the results of the screening reveal disqualifying findings, then notify the foster parent that the prospective routine caregiver is ineligible to serve as a routine caregiver.

  5. Conduct a name-based CRC of the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) database in accordance with policy 19.8 Case Management: Criminal Records Checks.

    1. If the results of the GCIC reveal disqualifying findings, then give the prospective routine caregiver the option to undergo a check of the NCIC database utilizing electronic fingerprinting (Live Scan) or be disqualified based on the results of the GCIC.

      This option is available because GCIC are not as reliable as NCIC fingerprint-based searches.

    2. If the prospective routine caregiver is disqualified by the results of a NCIC, then notify the foster parent that the prospective routine caregiver is ineligible to serve as a caregiver for children in DFCS custody.

  6. Complete the “Internal DFCS Use Only” section of the Unreimbursed Substitute In-Home/Out-of-Home Caregivers and upload into Georgia SHINES External Documentation.

  7. Notify the foster parent that the prospective routine caregiver is eligible based on the results of the safety screenings and CRC.

The Social Services Supervisor (SSS) will:

  1. Assist the SSCM in determining the suitability of prospective routine caregivers based on the CRC and safety screenings.

  2. Confirm prospective routine caregivers are added to the Georgia SHINES Person List page.

  3. Verify the documents are uploaded into Georgia SHINES External Documentation.

Short-Term Respite Care (up to 72 consecutive hours) unreimbursed

The SSCM will:

  1. Upon notification of the foster parent’s intent to use short-term respite (up to 72 hours), provide the foster parent with the Unreimbursed Substitute In-Home/Out-of-Home Caregivers form and a Caregiver Child Safety Agreement.

  2. Upon receipt of the completed Unreimbursed Substitute In-Home/Out-of-Home Caregivers form from the foster parent, upload into Georgia SHINES External Documentation.

The SSS will:

  1. Verify the Unreimbursed Substitute In-Home/Out-of-Home Caregivers is uploaded into Georgia SHINES External Documentation.

Extended Respite Care (more than 72 consecutive hours) unreimbursed

The SSCM will:

  1. Document the foster parent’s written notice of intent to use a respite provider for more than 72 consecutive hours in Georgia SHINES.

    If a CPA foster parent, confirm that they notified their CPA.

  2. Add the prospective extended respite caregiver to Georgia SHINES Person List page.

  3. Complete safety screenings in accordance with policy 19.9 Case Management: Safety Screenings. If the results of the screening reveal disqualifying findings, then notify the foster parent, the prospective respite caregiver is ineligible to serve as a caregiver for children in DFCS custody.

  4. Complete a fingerprint-based CRC of the NCIC database in accordance with policy 19.8 Case Management: Criminal Records Checks. If the prospective respite provider is disqualified by the results of the CRC, then notify the foster parent, the prospective respite provider is ineligible to serve as a caregiver for children in DFCS custody.

  5. Request the prospective extended respite caregiver complete the DFCS designated pre-service respite training.

  6. Make a visit to the prospective respite caregiver’s home.

    1. Conduct a face-to-face interview with the prospective respite caregiver and each household member to evaluate protective capacities.

    2. Assess the physical home environment.

    3. Review the Unreimbursed Substitute In-Home/Out-of-Home Caregivers form and Caregiver Child Safety Agreement with the prospective respite caregiver prior to the beginning of the respite period.

      1. Ask the prospective respite caregiver to sign and date the forms.

      2. Give the prospective respite caregiver a copy of the forms; and

    4. Document the assessment in Georgia SHINES, including uploading the forms into Georgia SHINES External Documentation.

  7. Review the information gathered during the assessment and decide whether the prospective respite caregiver will be recommended for approval.

  8. Obtain approval from SSS.

  9. Notify the foster parent and the prospective respite caregiver of the DFCS’ approval decision.

    If a CPA foster parent, also notify the CPA of the approval.

The SSS will:

  1. Review the information gathered during the assessment, including the CRC and safety screenings, and make an approval decision.

  2. Verify any prospective extended respite caregiver has been added to the Georgia SHINES Person List page.

  3. Submit the assessment to the County Director for approval.

  4. Verify the documents are uploaded into Georgia SHINES External Documentation.

Practice Guidance

Substitute Caregivers

The use of substitute caregivers is only applicable for children in DFCS approved foster homes and CPA foster homes.

  1. Routine Care (unreimbursed): more than once per week, usually at designated times. DFCS does not make payments to routine caregivers or reimburse foster parents for any payments the foster parents make to the routine caregiver.

  2. Respite (unreimbursed): DFCS does not make payments to unreimbursed respite caregivers or reimburse foster parents for any payments the foster parents make to the unreimbursed respite caregiver. Foster parents may use unreimbursed respite care for purposes including, but not limited to, medical or other health care appointments, grocery or other shopping, personal grooming appointments, special occasions, foster parent training classes, school related meetings, business meetings, adult social gatherings, or an occasional evening out. The types of unreimbursed respite care include:

    1. Occasional Respite Care: once per week or less on varying days and not exceeding twice per month.

    2. Short-term Respite Care: up to 72 consecutive hours

    3. Extended Respite Care: longer than 72 consecutives

  3. Respite Care (paid): Respite is not to exceed 10 calendar days per fiscal year (taken individually or consecutively). Respite is paid at the child’s current per diem rate. Paid respite care is a support service designed to allow foster parents time away from their parenting responsibilities. It is designed to give foster parents a needed break from parenting for such purposes as vacation, hospitalization, or any other circumstance that makes the foster parent unable to provide for the child’s care in the home.

How to Determine Paid Respite Hours

When determining the number of respite days to be applied, there should be a negotiation with the foster parent to clearly establish how the days will be counted. The rule of thumb is that if a child sleeps at the respite home, it counts as a respite day (AKA head in the bed rule). Circumstances may vary, so it is important for DFCS to negotiate the number of respite days to be applied with each foster parent involved. This will help prevent conflict between any of the parties after respite services have been provided. Training for foster parents falls under current per diem, not respite. When a foster parent’s attendance at an approved conference is overnight or extended care is needed, the foster parent’s respite balance is not impacted (see Fiscal Field Services Manual Costar Section 3001 Family Foster Care Programs). Consult with the office of the Caregiver and Well-Being Coordination Section Director as needed regarding these situations.

Use of family foster homes between CPAs or between CPA and DFCS family foster homes is permissible, but it should be done in consultation with the Caregiver and Well-Being Coordination Section Director who will be able to assist with troubleshooting payment or Residential Child Care (RCC) rules.

Supervision of Older Youth

Reliable and competent youth 14 years and older may be left under their own supervision under certain circumstances and for short periods of time so as not to jeopardize their safety and well-being. At this stage in their lives, many youths can benefit from experiences that foster a sense of responsibility, independence, and self-control. The primary factors to consider in determining if youth may be left alone is their level of maturity and ability to function in a safe, responsible manner for short periods of time without a caregiver present, as well as knowing when and how to access the foster parent or other designated adult. Some factors that should be considered include the following:

  1. Length of time a youth has been in the placement setting

  2. Youth’s judgment and level of maturity or development

  3. Youth’s demonstration of dependability, responsibility, and trustworthiness

  4. Youth’s history of emotional/psychological stability

  5. Whether a youth has a history of running away and other status offenses

  6. Whether a youth has a history of delinquent behavior

  7. Youth’s history of alcohol or other substance misuse

  8. Number of youth present in the home, gender, and their relationship with each other

  9. Whether a youth has a history of sexual misconduct

  10. Youth’s school performance

  11. Safety of the home environment (firearm safety, water safety, any other potential hazards, etc.)

  12. Youth’s ability to readily access their foster parent or other identified person should the need arise

Forms and Tools

Caregiver Child Safety Agreement
Caregiver Child Safety Agreement (Spanish)
Caregiver Child Safety Agreement – Adult Household Member
Caregiver Child Safety Agreement – Adult Household Member (Spanish)
Unreimbursed Substitute In-Home/Out-of-Home Caregivers
Unreimbursed Substitute In-Home/Out-of-Home Caregivers (Spanish)