MISSION:

The mission of Georgia’s foster care program is to strengthen families, protect children from further abuse and neglect, and assure that every child has a permanent family.

GOALS:

To achieve our mission for children and families of Georgia, we have focused our work efforts, projects, and activities toward the following strategies:

• Ensure Safety and Permanency - Through Family Conferencing, the department attempts to draw on the strength and resources of parents and extended family, the resources of the agency, the strength of other community agencies, and individuals involved in the child’s life. The goal is to empower and acknowledge families, and assist them in creating a team of supports. 
• Ensure the Most Appropriate Placement -First Placement Best Placement provides early and on-going assessment of the strengths and needs of children and families, case plan development with the family and the use of least intrusive interventions will reduce lengths of stay and placement disruptions. 
• Building and Maintaining Foster Care Resources – Recruiting, preparing and training foster parents, other care givers and agency child welfare workers will result in team members who are skilled and capable in meeting the needs of children and families. 
• Building Community Partnerships - In order to assist families in breaking the cycles of abuse and neglect, the Division of Family and Children Services will serve as catalyst to bring family members, community agencies, and other stakeholders such as yourself, the foster parent, in partnership to meet the needs of children and families. 
• Using and Developing Resources – An array of services, including preventive and least intrusive methods (producing the least amount of trauma for the child) will enable us to serve all children in care more cost-effectively. 
• Measuring Progress and Outcomes – On-going program evaluation will focus upon the effectiveness of the State's child welfare system in achieving successful outcomes for children and families.

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