Working with Child Deprivation Cases in Georgia's Juvenile Courts

IX

Permanency Planning

A. 30-DAY CASE PLANS

Within thirty (30) days of the child's removal from the home, and at each subsequent review of the dispositional order, DFCS must submit a written report which shall either include a case plan for the reunification of the family or the basis for its determination that a plan for reunification is not appropriate. The contents of the report shall be based upon a meeting held between DFCS, in consultation with the citizen review panel (if such a panel operates within your county), and the parents and children if available. O.C.G.A. § 15-11-41(c). The parents shall be given written notice of the meeting at least five days in advance and shall be advised that the report to be discussed at this meeting will be submitted to the judge to become an order of the court. O.C.G.A. § 15-11-41 (c). The final report will become part of the formal case record and will be made available to the parents or guardian of the child upon request. The report must contain any dissenting recommendations of the citizen review panel and any recommendations made by the parents. O.C.G.A. § 15-11-41(c). The adjudicatory and dispositional hearings will often have already been held before the end of the thirty day time period. Be aware that courts in some jurisdictions require the 30-day case plan to be completed before the dispositional hearing is held.

In many cases, the citizen review panel will NOT have met prior to the dispositional hearing on a case, and the DFCS caseworker will have authored the case plan, sometimes in conjunction with his or her supervisor and the parents. The law guardian/CASA must carefully scrutinize the plan, as the goals contained therein serve as a baseline from which to measure progress on the part of the depriving party, and to see if the conditions of deprivation are continuing. Depending upon the allegations, typical goals might include the completion of parenting skills classes; attendance at counseling sessions; the production of negative drug and/or alcohol screens; completion of substance abuse rehabilitation programs; verification to DFCS of adequate child care plans; regular visitation with the children in care; periodic contact with DFCS; attendance at all panel reviews and any other goals that are specifically tied to findings of fact.