Before making a placement, the caseworker must gather and review as much current information as possible about the child or youth, including all of the following:

• Current permanency goal.
• Medical, intellectual, and physical functioning.
• Information about the child’s behavior and supervision needs.
• Education information such as the name of the school and school district the child or youth attends and his or her academic needs and extracurricular preferences.
• Information from assessments conducted on the child or youth.
• Abuse and neglect history, including any involvement with allegations as a victim or perpetrator while in substitute care.
• Other important information in the case record, such as the most recent service plan and application for placement.

For general information on assessments, see the Placement Process Resource Guide – Assessments in General. In almost all circumstances, using race, color, or national origin to select a placement violates federal law. See 4115 Prohibited Considerations Based on Race, Color, or National Origin.