About Your Placement

What is a placement? 

 A placement is where you will live when you are removed from your home. You could be living with a family, in a group home, or a residential treatment center. These types of placements will be explained below.

How do I know if I am in a licensed placement? 

A foster home, a group home, or staying with family or a friend of your family are all places you might spend time while you are in out-of-home care. Places that are not licensed to take children are: 

• Case management offices or cars
• Motels
• Any other place that is not a home or group home, or a residential treatment center

How do I know if I am in a permanent placement?

While in foster care, you should be placed somewhere where all of your needs will be met. You should not be placed somewhere that you are only allowed to go in the evenings, you should not be going to different homes or group homes every night to sleep, and you should not be living or sleeping in an office setting.

What do I do if I do not have a permanent placement?

Tell your Guardian ad litem and/or attorney if you have one. You should also talk to the judge at your next court hearing. You have a right to be present at every court hearing because you are a party on the case. If you do not feel like your voice is being heard in court, you can ask the judge for a Guardian ad litem and an attorney to help advocate for you.

SCRAPPY TIP: You can tell the judge if there are any family or friends that you want to live with.

How do I know my placement type?

Typically, you will either be placed with a relative caregiver (someone who is related to you like an aunt, uncle, grandparent, or cousin), a non-relative caregiver (someone you or your family knows but is not a family member), in a foster family, a group home, or a residential treatment facility.

Where will I be placed when I am removed from my home?  

When you are removed from your home, an investigator should first ask you and your family about any other family members or family friends you can live with. If you are not able to live with a family member or family friend you will either live with a foster family, in a group home, or sometimes in a residential treatment center if you are experiencing mental health struggles. The Department must continue to look for family and family friends for you to live with throughout the time you are in foster care. 

What if I think of or find a family member or friend after I am placed in foster care? 

If at any time you or your parents think of a family member or friend you can live with, even after you are already placed in foster care, make sure to tell your case manager, your Guardian ad litem, and attorney if you have one, and the judge. 

What if the family member or family friend I want to live with is out of the state? 

There is a process to look into family or family friends in other states. Make sure to tell your case manager, your Guardian ad litem and attorney if you have one, and the judge if there is someone out of state you want to live with. 

What type of home will I live in if I don’t live with a family member or friend? 

If there is not family or family friend available, you will either be placed in a foster home, a group home, or a residential treatment center.