16.6 Age Requirements for Child Caring Institutions (CCI)

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
Child Welfare Policy Manual

Chapter:

(16) Room Board and Watchful Oversight (RBWO)

Policy Title:

Age Requirements for Child Caring Institutions (CCI)

Policy Number:

16.6

Previous Policy Number(s):

3.10; 1013.19; 1013.20; 1013.30; 2102.8

Effective Date:

April 2026

Manual Transmittal:

2026-01

​Codes/References

N/A

​Requirements

The Division of Family Children Services (DFCS) will:

  1. Place children in the least restrictive and most appropriate placements in accordance with policy 10.4 Foster Care: Selecting a Placement Resource.

  2. Consider congregate care or group home placements for youth 12 years of age and older when such a placement is the most appropriate and least restrictive environment.

  3. Require an age-based waiver to consider congregate care of group home placements for children under 12 years of age.

    1. For a child 11 years of age, the Regional Director can make the age-based waiver approval decision.

    2. For a child 10 years of age or younger, the Caregiver Coordination Section Director or designee will make the age-based waiver approval decision.

      If the child is under the age of 10 and the child of a teen parent who is also placed in the CCI, an age-based waiver request is not required.

​Procedures

​Social Services Case Manager

  1. Assess the child’s placement needs and ensure that a congregate or group home placement is the least restrictive and most appropriate environment prior to pursuing such a placement.

  2. Draft a waiver request documenting the following:

    1. Child’s exceptional needs;

    2. Why the child’s needs cannot be satisfied in a foster home setting or other facility;

    3. Length of time needed to identify a family home if the placement assessment does not require a CCI placement;

    4. Planned sleeping arrangements;

    5. Child vulnerabilities; and

    6. Special supervision needs.

  3. If the child is 11 years of age, submit the age-based waiver request to the Regional Director for an approval decision.

  4. If the child is 10 years of age or younger and not the child of a teen parent who is also placed in the CCI:

    1. Submit the age-based waiver request to the Caregiver Coordination Section Director or designee through GAScore.

    2. Include a complete explanation of the supporting circumstances and verification of concurrence from the County and Regional Director.

    The Regional Director has night and weekend approval authority until the next business day for waivers requiring the Caregiver Coordination Section Director.

  5. Upload the age-based waiver request and the approval decision to Georgia SHINES External Documentation.

​Caregiver Coordination Section Director or Regional Director

  1. Review the waiver request.

  2. Request additional information, if needed, to assist with the decision.

  3. Provide written notification of the decision within four business days.

If the youth is 12 years of age or older, follow the guidelines and process outlined in policy 16.3 Room Board and Watchful Oversight (RBWO): Placement Referral for placing a child in a RBWO provider program.

​Practice Guidance

Congregate or group home care may be assessed to be the least restrictive and most appropriate placement depending on the needs of the child. Residential care’s primary purpose is to address the unique needs of children and youth who require more intensive services than a family setting can provide.

Congregate or group care should not be used as a default option for any youth, especially older youth. Each placement requires an assessment of what the child’s needs are and where they can best be met in the least restrictive environment. Family homes provide the most “normal” replication of family operations.

CCIs standards are developed for the needs of older youth (12 years and up); staffing ratios, training expectations, routines, daily meal planning, etc. are based on programming for these older youth. Developmental and emotional needs, as well as monitoring and supervision needs of younger children vary greatly from that of older children. Therefore, age-based waiver requests for placement of younger children in a CCI should consider multiple factors such as the following:

  1. The younger child’s vulnerability and exposure to situations or material that may not be suitable for a younger child but appropriate for older youth.

  2. Impact on the provider (such as providing transportation to elementary schools when they are accustomed to only providing transportation to high schools).

  3. Whether a child’s placement in a CCI creates a barrier to permanency options.

​Forms and Tools

N/A