REQUIREMENTS

The Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) shall: 

1. Utilize Safety Plans to establish actions required to stop or prevent harm to the child that is determined to be unsafe; and make reasonable efforts to maintain the family unit and prevent the unnecessary removal of a child from his/her home. 
2. Immediately develop a Safety Plan with the parent/legal guardian following conducting a safety assessment when the child is determined to be unsafe. 
3. Use the least restrictive Safety Plan option required to assure child safety: 
   1. In-home Safety Plan 
   2. Out-of-home Safety Plan: 
      1. Voluntary Kinship 
      2. Foster Care 
4. Include in the Safety Plan: 
   1. Type of safety threat (present or impending danger) that the plan will be used to control. 
   2. The informal and formal resources being utilized to protect each child. 
   3. Safety Plan option (in-home our out-of-home). 
   4. Safety threat(s) identified during the safety assessment. 
   5. Protection strategies to control safety threats, including who is responsible for each strategy and timeframe. 
   6. Signature(s) of the parent(s)/legal guardian(s) and the SSCM.  

5. Provide a copy of the Safety Plan to the parent(s)/legal guardian(s). 

   NOTE: Due to confidentiality the Safety Plan and the information included in the safety

6. Develop the Safety Plan Support Person Agreement with the parent/legal guardian and the support person(s) outlining the safety supports implemented in the Safety Plan. Provide a copy of the Safety Plan Support Person Agreement to the parent(s)/legal guardian(s) and the support person(s). 
7. Monitor the Safety Plan to assure protection strategies to stop or prevent harm to the child are effective: 
   1. Confirm adherence to the Safety Plan. 
   2. Evaluate the sufficiency of the Safety Plan to manage or control safety threats; and 
   3. Determine if the least restrictive safety plan option is being utilized. 
8. Monitor the Safety Plan continuously, including: 
   1. At each purposeful contact with the child, parent/legal guardian, support person, and collateral contact. 
   2. At critical decision points (i.e., case transfer, considering a transition from an outof-home to an in-home Safety Plan). 
9. Modify the Safety Plan with the parent/legal guardian when the safety assessment determined the child is unsafe and one or more of the following applies: 
   1. The Safety Plan is insufficient to manage or control the identified safety threats.  
   2. A less restrictive Safety Plan option can be used to control or manage safety threats. 
   3. A new safety threat is identified. 
10. Integrate the Safety Plan protection strategies into the family’s case plan or family plan to provide a single reference for the mutually agreed upon strategy to enhance protective capacities. 
11. Maintain a Safety Plan for as long as the safety assessment determines the child to be unsafe. When the Safety Plan protection strategies have been integrated into the case/family plan, it is not required to maintain a separate Safety Plan. 
12. Make all Safety Plan decisions in consultation with the Social Services Supervisor (SSS) and obtain their approval of the Safety Plan and Safety Plan Support Person Agreement. 
13. Document the Safety Plan in Georgia SHINES within 72 hours of development with the parent/legal guardian. 
14. End the Safety Plan when the safety assessment determines the child is safe.
15. Adhere to confidentiality and Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA) provisions outlined in policies 2.5 Information Management: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and 2.6 Information Management: Confidentiality/Safeguarding Information.

PROCEDURES

The SSCM will: 

1. Conduct a safety assessment in accordance with policy 19.11 Case Management: Safety Assessment and when the child is determined to be unsafe, consult with the SSS to discuss: 

   1. Safety Plan options; 

      NOTE: When an out-of-home (foster care) Safety Plan is required complete pre-removal activities in accordance with policy 9.4 Eligibility: Removal from the Home Services. 

   2. The parent(s)/legal guardian(s) willingness to participate in the Safety Plan;
   3. Conditions for return, when utilizing the out-of-home Safety Plan option; and 
   4. What, if any, confidential information that requires the parent/legal guardian’s authorization to implement the Safety Plan.
2. Explain to the parent(s)/legal guardian(s): 
   1. The specific safety threats that make the child(ren) unsafe and the need to develop a Safety Plan. 
   2. A Safety Plan is a voluntary written arrangement between a family and DFCS that establishes actions required to stop of prevent or prevent harm to the child. 
   3. The available Safety Plan options. 
   4. The need to identify and assess formal and/or informal supports who can assist with supporting the Safety Plan. See Practice Guidance: Identifying and Assessing Informal and Formal Resources. 
   5. Consensus must be reached on the specific circumstances or behaviors for the child(ren) to be safely returned home, when an out-of-home Safety Plan is being considered. 
3. Assess the parent/legal guardian’s willingness and ability to implement a Safety Plan. 
4. Request the parent/legal guardian engage their family network to find a support person willing and able to support the Safety Plan. 
5. Assess the support person’s willingness and suitability to enter into the Safety Plan Support Person Agreement. See Practice Guidance: Identifying and Assessing Informal and Formal Resources. 
6. Develop the Safety Plan with the parent/legal guardian, include: 
   1. The type of safety threat the plan will be used to control. 
   2. The informal (family network) and formal (community/services) resources being utilized to keep the child safe. 
   3. The Safety Plan option (in-home or out-of-home). 
   4. Safety threat(s) identified from the safety assessment  
   5. Protection strategies to control or manage safety threat(s), including: 
      1. Who is responsible and time frame. 
      2. Support person(s) and their actions to support the protection strategy. 
   6. Signature(s) of the parent/legal guardian(s) and the SSCM. 

7. Provide a copy of the Safety Plan to the parent(s)/legal guardian(s). 

   NOTE: Due to confidentiality the Safety Plan and the information included in the safety plan shall only be shared with the parent(s)/legal guardian(s). See Practice Guidance: Safety Plan Confidentiality. 

8. Develop the Safety Plan Support Person Agreement with the parent/legal guardian and support person(s), include: 
   1. Document each safety support that will be provided, including time frames. 
   2. Explain confidentiality and privacy standards. 
   3. Obtain signatures of the parent/legal guardian(s) and support person(s). 
9. Provide a copy of the Safety Plan Support Person Agreement to the parent/legal guardian and the support person(s). 
10. Submit the Safety Plan and Safety Plan Support Person Agreement to the SSS for review and signature of approval. 
11. Document the Safety Plan in Georgia SHINES: 
    1. Complete the Safety Plan tab and submit to the SSS. 
    2. Upload the signed and approved Safety Plan and Safety Plan Support Person Agreement to External Documentation.
12. Monitor the Safety Plan: 
    1. Conduct face-to-face purposeful contact(s) with the child, parent/legal guardian, voluntary kinship caregiver in accordance with policy 5.2 Investigations: Purposeful Contacts During an Investigation or 8.2 Family Preservations Services: Purposeful Contacts with Families Receiving Family Preservation Services. 
    2. Conduct safety assessments in accordance with policy 19.11 Case Management: Safety Assessment. 
    3. Engage collateral contacts in accordance with policy 19.16 Case Management: Collateral Contacts. 
    4. Monitor service provision (formal and informal) in accordance with policy 19.17 Case Management: Service Provision. 
    5. Assess the effectiveness of the support person and the safety supports. 
    6. Determine whether the least restrictive Safety Plan option is being utilized. 
13. Modify the Safety Plan with the parent/legal guardian when the safety assessment determined the child is unsafe and one or more of the following applies: 
    1. A new safety threat is identified.  
    2. The Safety Plan is insufficient to manage or control the identified safety threats. 
    3. A less restrictive Safety Plan option can be used to control or manage safety threats.  

14. Integrate the Safety Plan protection strategies into the case or family plan in accordance with policy 8.3 Family Preservation Services: Case Planning and 10.23 Foster Care: Case Planning. 

    NOTE: Develop a new Safety Plan when a new safety threat is identified following the integration of the Safety Plan protection strategies into the case/family plan or current strategies are not sufficient to manage or control safety threats (see policy8.3 Family Preservation Services: Case Planning or 10.23 Foster Care: Case Planning for guidance on managing case plan setbacks). 

15. Maintain a Safety Plan for as long as the safety assessment determines the child to be unsafe. When the Safety Plan protection strategies have been integrated into the case/family plan, it is not required to maintain a separate Safety Plan. 
16. End the Safety Plan when the safety assessment determines the child is safe.  
    1. Engage the parent/legal guardian to discuss: 
       1. Progress made to address the safety threats;
       2. Any adjustments to service provision in accordance with policy 19.17 Case Management: Service Provision;
       3. Termination of the voluntary kinship arrangement. 
    2. Engage the support person to notify him/her that the Safety Plan Support Person Agreement has been discontinued (as applicable). 
    3. Terminate the Voluntary Kinship Arrangement (if applicable) (see policy 22.1 Kinship: Use of Voluntary Kinship Caregivers in Child Protective Services).

The SSS will: 

1. Collaborate with the SSCM to develop a Safety Plan, when a consensus is reached that the child is unsafe, following conducting a safety assessment in accordance with policy 19.11 Case Management: Safety Assessment discuss: 
   1. Safety Plan options;
   2. Services and support available to control the safety threats;  
   3. The parent(s)/legal guardian(s) willingness to participate in the Safety Plan;  
   4. Conditions for return, when utilizing the out-of-home Safety Plan option; and 
   5. What, if any, confidential information that requires the parent/legal guardian’s authorization to implement the Safety Plan.
2. Ensure pre-removal activities are completed in accordance with policy 9.4 Eligibility: Removal from the Home when an out-of-home (foster care) Safety Plan is required. 
3. Review the Safety Plan and the Safety Plan Support Person Agreement. 
   1. Verify the Safety Plan and Safety Plan Support Person Agreement reflects the circumstances discussed with the SSCM and sign upon approval. 
   2. Ensure the Safety Plan and Safety Plan Support Person Agreement are uploaded to Georgia SHINES External Documentation. 
4. Continuously monitor the Safety Plan during monthly supervisor staffings:  
   1. Coach the SSCM to conduct quality safety focused purposeful contact(s) with the child, parent/legal guardian, and/or voluntary kinship caregiver in accordance with policy 5.2 Investigations: Purposeful Contacts During an Investigation or 8.2 Family Preservations Services: Purposeful Contacts with Families Receiving Family Preservation Services. 
   2. Discuss and consider the child safety assessments (see policy 19.11 Case Management: Safety Assessment) and collateral contacts information (see policy 19.16 Case Management: Collateral Contacts). 
   3. Evaluate the sufficiency of any services outlined in the Safety Plan in accordance with policy 19.17 Case Management: Service Provision. 
   4. Assess the effectiveness of the support person and provided safety supports. 
   5. Determine whether the least restrictive Safety Plan option is being utilized. 
5. Work with SSCM to modify the Safety Plan when the safety assessment determined the child is unsafe and one or more of the following applies: 
   1. A new safety threat is identified. 
   2. The Safety Plan is insufficient to manage or control the identified safety threats. 
   3. A less restrictive Safety Plan option can be used to control or manage safety threats 
6. Review the case record to verify: 
   1. Documentation supports that the Safety Plan is being monitored at each purposeful contact with the child, parent/legal guardian, support person, and collateral contact and the Safety Plan is sufficient to manage or control safety threats. 
   2. The signed and approved Safety Plan and Safety Plan Support Person Agreement has been uploaded into Georgia SHINES External Documentation. 
   3. Safety Plan protection strategies are integrated into the family’s case/family plan. 
7. Ensure a Safety Plan is maintained for as long as child safety threats exists. When Safety Plan protection strategies have been integrated into the case/family plan, it is not required to maintain a separate Safety Plan.  
8. Ensure the Safety Plan is ended when the safety assessment determined the child is safe and confirm the family is aware they are no longer responsible for adhering to the Safety Plan.

PRACTICE GUIDANCE

A Safety Plan is a written arrangement between a parent(s)/legal guardian(s) and DFCS that establishes protection strategies or actions required to stop or prevent harm to the child. The Safety Plan is implemented and active as long as the child is determined to be unsafe. The Safety Plan specifies the safety threat, how the safety threat will be controlled using what actions, tasks, or services; who will participate in the actions, tasks, or services; and specification of time requirements.

Evaluate with the parent/legal guardian what option is best for the family, and what controls will be effective. Reaching a consensus with the parent/legal guardian around the protection strategies is an integral part of evaluating Safety Plan sufficiency since each family and each situation are different. What worked for one family may not work for another family with a similar situation. The alleged maltreater cannot serve as the one expected to provide the protection or relied on to follow through with the directives (i.e., Ms. Jones will not use physical discipline). The parent(s)/legal guardianship(s) role in the Safety Plan is limited to their assessed diminished capacity. A Safety Plan must: 

1. Manage or control the safety threat(s) identified during the safety assessment using the actions and services described within the Safety Plan.  
2. Have an immediate effect. 
3. Include persons involved in the Safety Plan who are immediately accessible and available.

Safety Plans and Present Danger 

A safety plan developed to address present danger is usually based on limited information and established during a period in which there is an active family crisis. The protection strategies must be immediate, short-term (until assessment is completed), and control the present danger identified. 

Safety Plans and Impending Danger

The safety plan developed to address impending danger is usually based on a fuller understanding of family functioning. The protection strategies must be sufficient to control the impending danger identified.

Safety Plan Options 

In-home Safety Plan: where the child remains in their home with protection strategies to assure a child safety. 

1. The maltreating caregiver leaves the home; 
2. A support person temporarily moves into the home; 
3. A support person assumes partial or full-time child supervision (e.g., daycare, weekends); 
4. A non-custodial parent (putative, legal, biological) assumes care of the child in their home; or 
5. Services placed in the home or outside of the home but contribute to the child remaining in the home.

In-home Safety Plan criteria: 

1. The parent(s)/legal guardian(s) are residing in the home which is an established residence.
2. The home environment is calm and consistent enough for protection strategies to have the necessary effect; and service providers and the safety support person(s) can be safe in the home.  
3. The parent(s)/legal guardian(s) are: 
   1. Willing to participate in carrying out the Safety Plan within the home; 
   2. Accepting and recognize the need for the Safety Plan; and 
   3. Capable/possess the ability to implement the Safety Plan. 
4. The availability of informal (family network) and formal (community/services) resources to assure child safety in the home.

If the circumstances do not meet the criteria for an in-home safety plan, an out of-home safety plan is required. 

Out-of-home Safety Plan: An out-of-home Safety Plan is where the child is separated from the home and the safety threats. 

1. The child(ren) is cared for outside of the home by a voluntary kinship caregiver; or 
2. The child(ren) is placed in foster care.

Out-of-home Safety Plan criteria 

1. Safety threats are so extreme or occurring within the family in such a way to prevent in home child safety management.  
2. A child is so provocative or out of control. 
3. The nature of the home environment is so chaotic, unpredictable, or dangerous. 
4. The parent(s)/legal guardian(s) are unwilling to accept an in-home Safety Plan option; are unwilling to accept people, resources or services that are available for a Safety Plan. 
5. The parent(s)/legal guardian(s) willingness to accept an in-home Safety Plan option cannot be confirmed or relied upon.

Identifying and Assessing Informal and Formal Resources 

When developing a Safety Plan, assist the family with identifying informal (family) and formal (community) resources that can support the Safety Plan: 

1. Inquire about the family network: 
   1. Is there any resource (family, neighbors, and individuals in the community) within your family network that can help control the safety threat? How do you know if they are willing/able? 
   2. What is known about these resources? How can we find out? 
2. Partner with the family to locate community service providers (see policy 19.17 Case Management: Service Provision) 
3. Assess whether the resources are sufficient and available to control the safety threats, and meet the following criteria: 
   1. Be a responsible, physically, and cognitively adequate adult who must understand the dangers and accept that the dangers exist. 
   2. Be fully aware, committed, and capable of carrying out assigned task(s).  
   3. Be available, which means that he/she can begin providing the safety support the same day the Safety Plan is enacted. 
   4. Be accessible, which means near transportation and easily and immediately reachable.
   5. Be trustworthy, willing to work with DFCS in a cooperative/collaborative relationship and willing to communicate regularly. 
   6. Understand the schedule, activities, and expectations that are established to ensure child safety.  
   7. In addition, support persons must have: 
      1. A viewpoint towards the child that is appropriate and realistic.
      2. An attitude about the child and family that is consistent with the facts. 
      3. An attitude toward the caregivers that is appropriate and realistic. 
      4. An availability to enter the home and to provide sufficient support to the family. 
      5. A safe and stable home.
      6. A history of being protective and providing acceptable care to children. 
      7. No active CPS case or a history that would exclude them from providing support.

Monitoring the Safety Plan

Safety Plans require uninterrupted oversight or monitoring to assure protection strategies to stop or prevent harm to the child are effective. Monitoring the Safety Plan requires a thorough knowledge of a family and the identified safety threats. Information obtained through purposeful contacts with the parent(s)/legal guardian(s), child, collaterals etc.; conducting safety assessments; and monitoring service provision is used to monitor the Safety Plan. Monitoring a Safety Plan includes: 

1. Confirming all parties involved are adhering to the Safety Plan; 
2. Evaluating if the Safety Plan is sufficient to control the threats to child safety; and 
3. Assessing if the least restrictive Safety Plan option is being utilized to control safety threats.

Modifying the Safety Plan 

Safety Plan modification is required when the safety assessment determines that the child continues to be unsafe despite the current Safety Plan. This means the current Safety Plan is not sufficient to control the threats to child safety and must be immediately modified to assure the safety of the child. The Safety Plan is also required to be modified if a less restrictive Safety Plan option can be used to manage the threats to child safety. A range of Safety Plan options exists, and the Safety Plan can be adjusted along that continuum based on the safety assessment. Modifying the Safety Plan from an out-of-home to an in-home option should be considered to accelerate a child’s return home when child safety can be maintained. For example: 

1. A transition from a voluntary kinship arrangement to the voluntary kinship caregiver residing in the child’s home providing the safety supports. 
2. Additional information on the parent/legal guardian is pending (medical or psychological evaluation), but the support person can provide the level of supervision required in the child’s home until results are received. 
3. The child is vulnerable due to a physical disability that requires constant medical care outside the home due to lack of access to medical supports. Medical supports subsequently become available for in home care and support for the child.

Safety Plan Confidentiality 

The Safety Plan and information included in the Safety Plan is confidential and can only be shared with the parent(s)/legal guardian(s). Engaging with support persons who can assist with the Safety Plan is necessary to provide protection for a child but may also create a situation where confidential information can be unlawfully disclosed. Any information shared outside of the parent/legal guardian including with the school, support person, etc. is an unlawful disclosure. 

When the disclosure of confidential information is necessary to implement the Safety Plan, the SSCM will reach a consensus with the SSS that the disclosure of such information is necessary and the specific information the parent/legal guardian will be requested to disclose to the support person to help assure child safety. Engage the parent/legal guardian and explain since they are willing to enter into a Safety Plan SSCM recognizes they would like to keep their child safe, but in order for the support person to be successful in fulfilling their role, confidential information would need to be shared. Explain to the parent/legal guardian:

1. DFCS responsibility in maintaining confidentiality and safeguarding information, including DFCS cannot share their information without their written consent. 
2. The specific information DFCS is requesting to disclose to the support person(s). 
3. He/she has the right to choose what information, if any, can be discussed and with whom the information can be discussed. 
4. Supports persons sign a confidentiality agreement, however, they are not legally required to maintain confidentiality of your information. 
5. The authorization is restricted to sharing information with the support person regarding the Safety Plan 
6. He/she has the right to decline the request to share confidential information. 
7. Declining to authorize disclosure, will not negatively impact his/her DFCS case. 
8. He/she retains the right to withdraw the authorization at any time. 
9. A new Safety Plan will be necessary if he/she does not consent to disclosure of the information.

When the parent/legal guardian agrees to the release of their confidential information to the support person, request the parent/legal guardian personally share the information with the support person. Inform that self-disclosure allows them to take control of the situation and is more likely to result in family buy-in. Describe the assistance the SSCM can provide the parent/legal guardian with the disclosure such as role playing, help framing the discussion, and/or being present at the time of disclosure. 

When the parent/legal guardian agrees to the release of their confidential information to the support person but does not wish to personally share the information with the support, request the parent/legal guardian, complete an Authorization for Release of Information in accordance with policy 2.6 Information Management: Confidentiality/Safeguarding Information. 

When the parent/legal guardian does not agree to the disclosure of their confidential information, sharing information with the support person is not permitted. When this occurs, the SSCM should consult with the SSS and re-engage the family to develop a new Safety Plan to ensure child safety.

Ending a Safety Plan 

Ending the Safety Plan terminates the agreement between the family and DFCS that established the protection strategies to stop or prevent harm to the child. A Safety Plan should be ended following the completion a safety assessment that determined a child to be safe (see policy 19.11 Case Management: Safety Assessment). Ending the Safety Plan is the process of communicating to the parent/legal guardian and support persons that they are no longer responsible for implementing the protection strategies outlined in the Safety Plan or Safety Plan Support Person Agreement. Ending a Safety Plan is critical as it can provide a family a sense of accomplishment and alleviate them of implementing protection strategies that can often be burdensome. While, Safety Plans are not valid beyond case closure, closing a case is not the equivalent of ending a Safety Plan and neither does it eliminate the need to end the Safety Plan.

Difference Between a Safety Plan and Case Plan

Safety Plans During Special Investigations 

During a special investigation Safety Plans are limited to addressing safety threats related to a child in the legal custody of a: 

1. DFCS foster or adoptive parent  
2. Child placing agency (CPA) foster or adoptive parent 
3. Kinship caregiver 
4. Parent/legal guardian during a child death, near fatality, or serious injury (CD/NF/SI) 

To address safety threats to a child in DFCS custody during a special investigation see Chapter 6: Special Investigations.

FORMS AND TOOLS

Safety Plan (e-version)
Safety Plan (e-version) – Spanish
Safety Plan (example)
Safety Plan Support Person Agreement (e-version)
Safety Plan Support Person Agreement (e-version) – Spanish