Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 18 - HUMAN SERVICES › Part 6 - Division of Family and Children's Services › Chapter 1 - DFCS Policy Manual › Section 18-6-1-D - Foster Care Policy › Section 18-6-1-D-IV - NOTIFICATION OF REMOVAL

Current through June 25, 2024
An ASWS with an advanced degree in
								social work or related field must be involved in the decision making process
								before approval is given to remove a child from their home and placement into
								foster care.
Authorization from the Youth Court
								Judge must be obtained for all removals and placements of a child into foster
								care.
Under no circumstances, even
								emergencies, shall foster children be taken to the home of a DFCS
								employee.
If a determination is made that placement is required, the
					 Worker shall document in the case file and provide information to the judge
					 which supports the following:
* The circumstances in the home which presented a
					 substantial risk of harm to the child.
* The efforts made by the Worker to prevent placement;
					 specific services and supports provided to the family; and why such efforts
					 failed to prevent the child's removal.
A Parent/Caretaker/ or Legal Guardian will be notified
					 prior to, or as soon as safely possible, that his/her child is being placed in
					 custody. In situations where there is a non-custodial parent, the Worker shall
					 make all efforts to notify said parent prior to the shelter hearing. When this
					 is not possible, workers will adhere to the diligent search policies.
Worker shall make efforts to notify the custodial
					 parent(s) of a sibling(s) of a child being placed in custody as amended in
					 MISS. CODE ANN§ Statue 43-15-13 (3).
A.
Diligent Search
MISS. CODE ANN. §
											43-15-13(3),
					 states DFCS "shall make all possible contact with the child's natural parent(s)
					 and any interested relative for the first two (2) months following the child's
					 entry into the foster care system." Diligent Searches include but are not
					 limited to all forms of verbal or written contact, including:
1. Sending correspondence to all previous
				  addresses;
2. Calling all previous
				  telephone numbers posted in the case file and in MACWIS;
3. Sending letters to "General Delivery" in a
				  town or city where the Worker believes the parent to be residing but has no
				  specific address;
4. Contacting
				  motor vehicle registration;
5.
				  Requesting a record check from local law enforcement and/or probation office
6. Writing the State Department of
				  Labor (local Employment Office), if Worker has a social security number;
7. Contacting prisons and/or state
				  hospitals
8. Contacting all known
				  relatives, including custodial parent(s) of siblings, friends and previous
				  employers;
9. Checking the
				  telephone directory, county, and city directories;
10. Contacting utility and telephone
				  companies;
11. Accessing the state
				  and Federal Parent Locator Service through the Child Support Enforcement
				  Office;
12. Accessing the Location
				  Services through contact with the local post office;
13. Making a historical check through MACWIS;
14. Contact 911 addressing; and
15. Utilizing Internet services,
				  such as Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC), ZABBA Search, Facebook,
				  Twitter and/or Google.
The Worker should document all efforts monthly to
					 identify/locate the birth parent whose identity is unknown or whose identity is
					 known but whose address is unknown. This list above is not inclusive and staff
					 may use other methods and/or measures as appropriate.