First Placement/Best Placement as a strategy has moved DFCS to a family centered approach and in CPS, to child focused and family centered practice. Statewide implementation of the first phase (the assessment process) began in February 1999. DFCS conducted statewide training in nine different sites around the state. The strategy holds fast to its five goals and nine principles, which are as follows:

Goals

• To reduce the number of children coming into care

• To reduce the number of movements children experience in foster care

• To decrease the length of time children remain in care

• To reduce the subsequent placements of children in care

• To expedite a permanency solution and plans for children

Principles (Key Words)

• Assessment Driven

• Safety

• Integrated Systems

• Systems Approach

• Partnerships with Foster Families

• Partnerships with Public/Private Agencies

• Results Driven

• Respect of Culture

• Participation

Family Conferencing has impacted the well-being outcomes for children in families served by the agency. It works at any point and time in the life of a case. The use of Family Conferencing in Moderate/High Risk CPS cases has served to benefit families in determining safety and protection issues and exploring other options for placement prior to the child's entrance into the foster care system.

The use of Family Conferencing in foster care cases has been extremely helpful, not only to the children and their families, but also to other service providers involved with the families. It shifts responsibility to its rightful place - the family. Parents are even confronted by other family and community members regarding their behaviors, plan of action and attitudes. It assists all who are involved, including DFCS, to develop solutions to expedite permanency plans for children. Case Plan development, support and implementation is a by-product of any Family Conference. Parents are empowered to develop their own solutions and address their strengths and needs in a "neutral" environment with concerned and interested parties and natural support systems which encourage them to make the best and most sound decisions for their children in care.

Relative Care Subsidy

The fact that Georgia did not have a law allowing juvenile court judges to award permanent custody to fit and willing relatives until 1998, impacted the number of children remaining in the Department's custody for extended periods. One approach that Georgia is currently developing to offer children an opportunity to achieve permanency and exit the system sooner is the Relative Care Subsidy (RCS) program. RCS enables the Department to provide financial support for children transitioning from foster care into the permanent legal custody of an approved relative caregiver. RCS is authorized through the month of the child's 18^th birthday, unless it is determined that the child has become ineligible for continued RCS payments. The issuance of a non-reunification court order on the child's behalf must precede the permanent custody transfer for receipt of subsidy. Relatives caring for children, eligible for subsidy, receive a monthly payment of $10.00 per day to help defray the cost of the child's day-to-day expenses.

When RCS is implemented by Spring 2001, the Department expects to close approximately 600 cases of children (1/3 of those currently in relative home placements, according to Jan. '01 IDS report). By providing support services and subsidy payments to relative caregivers, the Department is providing children in care the option of permanent custody with their fit and willing relative(s).