This policy guide was updated from the 03/21/14 version, as part of the Policy Redesign, in accordance with the DCFS Strategic Plan. The title has been changed from "Report on Notice of Replacement".

POLICY

When to file a Notice of Replacement Report

This policy applies to replacement of a dependent child/youth from any one of placement on the list to another:

Home

Home of relative

Foster home (including FFA Certified Home)

Group home

When a runaway youth returns but must be replaced, a DCFS 6011, Notice of Replacement Report, must be filed with the Court.

A Notice of Replacement Report is not necessary when a WIC 342, 385 or 387 Petition is filed on behalf of a child/youth. In these cases a Detention Report is submitted with the Petition to the Court. Refer to Filing Petitions, and Writing the Detention Report for more information.

Please refer to Who to Notify When There is a Change in Placement, for a list of people who should be notified when there is a change of placement or, when possible, before a planned replacement when all the necessary information (such as the location of the new placement and date of replacement) is available.

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Initial Report

Whenever a child/youth is moved from a less restrictive placement to a group home or from one group home to another group home, DCFS must file a DCFS 6011, Notice of Replacement Report, with the child/youth's court of record prior to, or within three (3) court days, of the replacement. The DCFS 6011 may either be filed separately or attached to a WIC 387 or WIC 777 report if either is filed, whichever is sooner. The DCFS Group Home Profile must accompany the DCFS 6011 to court.

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Follow-Up Reports

Use the DCFS 6011 to write the 15-Day and the 90-Day Report.

15-Day Report on Expediting a Move to a Less Restrictive Placement

If a child/youth has been placed in a group home solely because a less restrictive placement is not available, the court will order DCFS to provide a report every fifteen (15) days until the child/youth has been moved to an appropriate and less restrictive placement. That report must detail all efforts that have been made to identify an appropriate and less restrictive placement.

90-Day Report on Case Plan & Permanency

Following review of the initial Report on Notice of Replacement in a group home, the court will order DCFS to provide updates on the implementation of the case plan no less than every ninety (90) days. Each 90-Day Report must include any and all efforts to develop permanency for the child/youth. This includes efforts to maintain and facilitate contact with siblings, parents and family members, friends, caregivers or prospective caregivers, or other nonrelative extended family members.

CFT Child and Family Team (CFT)

When a SCSW/CSW receives a notice of Replacement from a caregiver, s/he should immediately initiate a Child and Family Team (CFT) meeting, and if replacing from or to a group home, a CFT meeting should be scheduled prior to the youth's replacement. For all CFTs, the child/youth's attorney should be notified so s/he may have an investigator attend the CFT. For detailed information regarding CFT meetings and use of the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment tool refer to, Child and Family Teams (CFT).

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PROCEDURE

A Child/Youth Is Replaced

CSW Responsibilities

Complete a Case Plan Update whenever the replacement is from a less restrictive facility to a more restrictive facility (for example, from a relative's home into a group home).

Notify the child/youth's attorney of the replacement according to, Communications with a Child's Attorney.

Complete the DCFS 5402, Notice to Child's/NMD's Attorney re: Case Status. If applicable, check the box that indicates that the child/youth will be removed from his or her school-of-origin.

If the replacement entails removal of the child from his/her school-of-origin, the notification must be completed within 24-hours, excluding non-judicial days, of the CSW's determination that the proposed change or change of placement would result in removal of the child from his or her school-of-origin.

Submit the completed DCFS 5402 to the Child's Attorney Notification Specialist.

Notify the child/youth's Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) when applicable.

Notify the court via the DCFS 6011 within 72-hours of the child/youth's replacement.

Prior to creating the DCFS 6011, review the CWS/CMS case record to ensure that all identifying information (e.g., names, addresses, etc.) is correct. If necessary, update the case record.

Create and submit the DCFS 6011 for approval in CWS/CMS within 48-business hours of the child's replacement.

Do not attach the DCFS 6011 to the hearing, as it is not used for a scheduled hearing. When creating the report in CSW/CMS, select: "Date Not Set", under the "Hearing Information" field in the Court Notebook.

Complete all appropriate fields on the DCFS 6011 that have not been populated by the CWS/CMS database. Completion instructions are embedded in the on-line form. To view the hidden text instructions, activate Show/Hide Paragraph Mark – "¶" on Microsoft Word Tool Bar.

If the move is from a less restrictive placement to a group home or from one group home to another group home, obtain the DCFS Group Home Profile and attach it to the DCFS 6011.

Submit a hardcopy of the DCFS 6011, the DCFS Group Home Profile when applicable, and any other appropriate attachments to the SCSW for approval.

If the DCFS 6011 is not approved, take necessary corrective action and resubmit for approval.

When the hardcopy of the DCFS 6011 is approved, submit a softcopy in CWS/CMS for approval.

Route the approved report and all attachments to appropriate support staff for final preparation and delivery to court.

SCSW Responsibilities

Review the DCFS 6011 and any supporting documents. Ensure that the DCFS Group Home Profile is attached, when applicable.

If not approved, return the packet to the CSW for corrective action.

If approved, sign and date the DCFS 6011 and return the packet to the CSW for submission to court. Approve the DCFS 6011 in CWS/CMS.

Juvenile Court Services Liaison CSW Responsibilities

Log the DCFS 6011 in as received on the designated log, and check to make sure that the DCFS Group Home Profile is attached, when applicable.

File the DCFS 6011 with the Clerk of the courtroom, with a Conformed copy of the DCFS 6011 provided to DCFS at the time of receipt.

DCFS Court Officer CSW Responsibilities

Upon receipt of the Conformed copy of the DCFS 6011, give the conformed copy of the DCFS 6011 to the assigned County Counsel for the County Counsel legal file.

When applicable, check to make sure that, the DCFS Group Home Profile is attached.

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APPROVALS

Supervisor Approval

DCFS 6011

HELPFUL LINKS

Attachments

Who to Notify When There is a Change of Placement

Forms

CWS/CMS

Case Plan Update

Client Notebook

Hearing Notebook

DCFS 6011, Notice of Replacement Report

LA Kids

DCFS 4216, Last Minute Information to the Court

DCFS 5402, Notice to Child's/NMD's Attorney re: Case Status

DCFS 6011, Notice of Replacement Report

Referenced Policy Guides

0070-548.01, Child and Family Teams

0080-502.10, Case Plans

0300-301.05, Filing Petitions

0300-303.15, Writing the Detention Report

0300-506.05, Communication with Attorneys, County Counsel, and Non-DCFS Staff

0700-500.10, Education of DCFS-Supervised Children

Statutes

Welfare and Institutions Code Section 16010.6(a) states requirements for notification of minor's attorney regarding change of placement or planned change of placement.

Welfare and Institutions Code Section 16010.6(b) states requirements for notification of minor's attorney regarding separation of siblings due to placement change or planned placement change including time frames that must be met.

California Rules of Court 5.651(e)(1)(A)(B) states findings that must be made regarding proper notification when the change of placement will result in removal of the child/youth from the school-of-origin and notification of local educational agency of special education program for child/youth with an individualized education program.

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