Stability of Foster Care Placements (Point-in-Time Data Elements IV & XI and Cohort Data Element IV). Using data element XI on the point-in-time permanency profile, discuss whether the percentage of children in the State who have been in foster care less than 12 months and have had more than two placement settings conforms to the national standard for this indicator. Using all three data elements noted above, identify and discuss the reasons for the movement of children in foster care in the State. If there are differences in placement stability for children newly entering the system (cohort data) compared with the total population of children in care (permanency data), identify and discuss those issues.
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Georgia conforms to the national standard for this indicator. The 1999 implementation of the First Placement/Best Placement assessments has resulted in the availability of more thorough information for DHR, staff, courts and other stakeholders to make appropriate placement and permanency decisions for children and families. Better than 90% of the children in care had no more than two placements while in foster care in the cohort group and the same is true for the total population of children in foster care. The availability of additional therapeutic resources, better preparation training and support of caretakers has had an impact. Additionally, foster parents adopt over 80% of the children in care, which provides more stability and fewer placements for the children. Though slight, the Georgia legislature has approved steady increases in the foster care per diem over the past three years from $10.70 in 1997 to $12.00 in 2000. Georgia is also expecting an increase to the foster care per diem in 2001. Additional placement resources continue to be needed especially for large sibling groups, medically fragile children and teens entering or lingering in care. Re-entry rates do not reflect the fact that a re-entrant often brings siblings, who were not a part of the original entry, which compounds placement issues. In order to maintain the stability of placements and replenish the number of foster parents lost to adoption, Georgia is developing a statewide recruitment campaign for foster and adoptive parents. This will be a five year comprehensive plan to include public information and staff training at all levels from County DFACS receptionist, agency administrators and managers, foster/adoptive parents to civic and community groups, as well as periodic focus groups with potential/current foster/adoptive parents. Georgia has worked extremely hard at improving the stability of children in foster care and will continue to do so. The success of Georgia's past recruitment efforts is reflected in the numbers of recruited foster parents who are committed to and meet agency requirements to become adoptive parents. Losing good foster homes is desirable when achievement of permanency for a child is the ultimate outcome. |
Last Updated 10/10/2001