The Georgia home safety checklist — sourced, not folklore.

Medications, chemicals & alcohol

Every item in this group: DFCS policy 14.1 (Safety and Quality Standards).

• Medications, cleaning supplies, poisons, and hazardous materials are out of children's reach Jul 2, 2026

  Policy requires conditions that prevent a child's access, as appropriate for their age. A locking cabinet or a high locked box covers most homes.

• Prescription medications are stored in their original containers Jul 2, 2026

  No pill organizers as primary storage, no unlabeled bottles — the original container with the prescribing instructions is the standard.

• Alcohol is secured from children's access Jul 2, 2026

  You don't have to remove it from the house. It has to be somewhere children can't get to it.

Firearms & ammunition

Every item in this group: DFCS policy 14.1 (Safety and Quality Standards).

• Firearms and ammunition are stored under lock and key, inaccessible to children Jul 2, 2026

  Policy 14.1's exact words: "Firearms and ammunition must be stored under lock and key, inaccessible to children." A gun safe or locking case satisfies this.

• Ammunition is removed from firearms for storage Jul 2, 2026

  Unloaded for storage — the yes-you-can-own-guns rule comes with this condition attached.

• Keys to the locked storage stay with an adult or are secured from children Jul 2, 2026

  A key hanging next to the safe doesn't count as locked. Keep it on you or reasonably secured.

Pools, spas & water

Every item in this group: DFCS policy 14.1; the walk-through water safety assessment is policy 14.10. Skip this group if you have no pool, spa, or water on the property.

• Pool fence is at least four feet high, surrounds all sides, and has a locking gate Jul 2, 2026

  Built so young children can't climb through or under it. This is the item most likely to require real money — price it before you apply, not after.

• Above-ground pool steps or ladders are removed when the pool isn't in use Jul 2, 2026
• Doors and gates leading to the pool have safety devices, like bolt locks Jul 2, 2026
• Lifesaving and flotation devices are at the pool — a reaching pole, a ring buoy Jul 2, 2026
• Pool covers are kept free of standing water and removed completely during use Jul 2, 2026

  A sagging cover holding rainwater is itself a drowning hazard for small children.

• A pool that can't be emptied after each use has a working pump and filter Jul 2, 2026
• Hot tubs and spas have safety covers that lock when not in use Jul 2, 2026
• You're committed to direct adult supervision around any body of water Jul 2, 2026

  This one's a practice, not a purchase. Related: children 3 and older who can't swim must be enrolled in a swimming or water safety course within their first year in your home.

Sleep spaces

Every item in this group: DFCS policy 14.1. Your evaluator will photograph the proposed sleeping areas (policy 14.10).

• Each child has a safe sleeping space of their own, with a mattress and linens Jul 2, 2026

  A bed per child — not a couch, not an air mattress as the plan. It doesn't need to be new; it needs to be theirs.

• Sleeping arrangements are equitable with the rest of the household Jul 2, 2026

  Policy's word is "equitably" — a foster child's setup should look like the other kids' setups, not like an afterthought.

• No co-sleeping or bed-sharing with children in foster care — ever Jul 2, 2026

  This is absolute in policy, even for infants, even briefly. Plan where a scared child sleeps on night one so you're not improvising.

• Infants sleep per the state's Infant Safe to Sleep guidelines Jul 2, 2026

  A crib meeting safe-sleep practice — back to sleep, bare crib. If you're approved for ages 0–2, expect this to come up specifically.

• No cameras or video recording devices in children's bedrooms or in/near bathrooms Jul 2, 2026

  Baby monitors in a nursery are a different conversation — raise it with your evaluator. A camera pointed at an older child's bed is a no.

Fire safety & emergencies

Every item in this group: DFCS policy 14.1 (Safety and Quality Standards).

• At least one working smoke detector on each level, plus one near all sleeping areas Jul 2, 2026

  Test them the week before the walk-through. Batteries are the cheapest fix on this page.

• At least one working carbon monoxide detector on each level, plus one near all sleeping areas Jul 2, 2026

  The one families most often don't already own. About $25 at any hardware store.

• At least one working fire extinguisher, readily accessible Jul 2, 2026

  "Readily accessible" usually means the kitchen — not the back of the garage.

• Home is free of obvious fire hazards — defective heaters, badly stored flammables Jul 2, 2026

  Gas heaters must be vented. Gas cans live in the garage or shed, not the hall closet.

• A written evacuation plan is posted in a prominent place and reviewed with children Jul 2, 2026

  Hand-drawn on paper is fine. The fridge is the classic spot.

• Emergency numbers — including poison control — are posted Jul 2, 2026

  Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222. Post it next to the evacuation plan and this item's done.

• First aid supplies are on hand Jul 2, 2026
• Water heater is set to a safe temperature Jul 2, 2026

  Policy cites the Department of Energy's recommendation of 120°F. Most water heaters have a dial; turning it down takes two minutes and prevents scalds.

The whole house

Every item in this group: DFCS policy 14.1 (Safety and Quality Standards).

• Kitchen works: sink, refrigerator, stove, and oven all operating Jul 2, 2026
• At least one toilet, sink, and tub or shower in operating condition Jul 2, 2026
• Heating and/or cooling consistent with community standards, and safe drinking water Jul 2, 2026

  "Consistent with accepted community standards" — in Georgia, that means working AC in summer.

• A working phone in the home, or access to one in close walking proximity Jul 2, 2026

  Your cell phone counts.

• Home and grounds are clean, safe, and sanitary — free of rodent and insect infestation Jul 2, 2026

  Note the standard: clean and safe, with adequate lighting, ventilation, and trash disposal. Not spotless. Lived-in passes; infested doesn't.

• Nobody smokes (including e-cigarettes) around the child — in the home, or in vehicles Jul 2, 2026

  You'll sign an attestation to this. It covers your guests too.

Outside: yard, well & septic

Items in this group: DFCS policy 14.1; well and septic verification steps are policy 14.10.

• Grounds and all structures on the property are properly maintained and hazard-free Jul 2, 2026

  The exterior standard mirrors the interior one: free from dangerous objects and conditions.

• If you have a well: it's covered, and you can attest it meets Georgia water well standards Jul 2, 2026

  Policy 14.10 has the evaluator ask about maintenance, request an attestation (citing O.C.G.A. § 12-5-134), and photograph the well covering.

• If you have a septic tank: you can attest it's properly maintained Jul 2, 2026

  If you can't remember the last pump-out, schedule one before the visit and keep the receipt.

• Pets are vaccinated per state and local law Jul 2, 2026

  Have the rabies certificates findable.

• Any animal with a history of aggression toward people is securely enclosed Jul 2, 2026

  Cage, fence, or similar enclosure. Exotic animals need a veterinarian's health statement and DFCS/agency approval — and any animal aggression toward a child must be reported within 24 hours.

Vehicles & getting around

Every item in this group: DFCS policy 14.1 (Safety and Quality Standards).

• Reliable, legal, safe transportation: valid license, insurance, and registration Jul 2, 2026

  For any privately owned vehicle used to transport the child.

• One child per seat belt, individually secured Jul 2, 2026
• Children under 8 ride in a federally approved child safety seat Jul 2, 2026

  Installed per the manufacturer's instructions. Foster closets often lend car seats free — see the resource directory.

• Children 12 and under ride in the rear seat Jul 2, 2026

  Airbag protection — this is policy, not just a recommendation.

• No child is ever left unattended in a vehicle Jul 2, 2026
• Helmets for bike riding Jul 2, 2026

Commonly checked, but not in the published standards

Everything above is cited to published policy. The items below are different: families around Georgia commonly report being asked about them, but we could not find them in the published standards we verified — they may live on the evaluator's internal inspection form, vary by county or agency, or be folklore. We won't publish them as rules, and you shouldn't panic-buy for them.

Walk the house with it

This list works best on paper, on a clipboard, one room at a time. Most homes clear it in an afternoon plus one hardware-store run: a CO detector, a lockbox, a thermostat dial turned to 120.

Sources & verification

• DFCS policy manual (PAMMS) §14.1 — Safety and Quality Standards: the item-by-item caregiver standards above (firearms, detectors, pools, sleep, vehicles, and the rest)pamms.dhs.ga.gov Jul 2, 2026
• DFCS policy manual (PAMMS) §14.10 — Initial Family Evaluation: the inspection process, the named checklist form, photos, water safety assessment, well & septic attestationspamms.dhs.ga.gov Jul 2, 2026
• RBWO Minimum Standards FY2026, §11.35 — matching safety requirements for CPA (private-agency) foster homesgascore.com (PDF) Jul 2, 2026

Policy details can change between our verification dates, and your evaluator's current form is the final word. If today is well past the dates above, confirm specifics with your case manager or agency before spending money.