Georgia's numbers for the Incidence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect in Foster Care is above the national standard of 0.4%. For Georgia in 1998, the percentage is 1.12% (142 incidences based on a population of 12,695). For 1999, the percentage is 1.08% (179 incidences based on a population of 16,531).

Revised policy that will be effective this Spring states that any substantiated maltreatment in a foster/adopt or pre-adoptive home will result in closure of the home. A family's first violation of the discipline policy will result in either (1) a corrective action plan to address discipline issues that is developed between the agency and the family or, (2) in the closure of the home. The home is automatically closed if there is a second violation of the discipline policy.

To better ensure safety of children in the department's custody, Georgia is requiring a CPS investigation for (1) any serious injury to a child in a department-approved home, (2) any unexplained or unanticipated death to a child in a department home, (3) reports that the parent/caretaker or other adult frequently in the home is an alleged maltreater in another CPS investigation or incident of domestic violence, (4) any sexual abuse to a child victim by a child maltreater or any sexual activity between children in the home to determine whether neglect or lack of supervision or sexual abuse/exploitation by the parent/caretaker is present and (5) historic reports. Georgia is also expanding the review of maltreatment in foster homes to include private agency foster homes, foster/adopt homes and adoptive homes approved for children in the legal custody of the department.

Georgia has also established a Special Investigations Unit that has a consultant assigned to each area of the state. These consultants work within their assigned counties to assist with investigations of child fatality and serious injury cases and with reports of abuse in foster homes. They are also involved in the establishment of district investigative teams.