Foster parent support · also for kinship caregivers
You said yes. We've got the rest.
Per diem answers, the babysitting rules nobody wrote down for you, respite before you burn out, and someone to call at 2am. Everything here is Georgia-specific and dated, so you know it's current.
Need help right now?
Save these three. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911 first.
988 · GCAL24/7 mental health & substance use crisis line — can dispatch a mobile crisis team to your home.
1-855-GACHILDDFCS intake, including the after-hours call center for placement emergencies.
1-877-804-6610AFPAG foster parent advocacy hotline — call before you answer questions in an investigation.
New placement?
The first 72 hours, in order.
A child just arrived, possibly with nothing. Here's the exact sequence — health screening deadline, Medicaid card, school enrollment, free gear — as one printable page. Caseworkers hand this one out.
The rules, in plain language.
Georgia's real policies live in PAMMS chapters and training handouts. We summarize each one in plain English, link the official source, and show you when we last checked it.
Babysitting & overnights: the 2-night ruleRoutine vs. occasional sitters, and when you need approval
Verified Jul 1, 2026
Policy source →
Traveling with your foster childIn-state, out-of-state, and the approval letters you need
Verified Jul 1, 2026
Policy source →
What you can decide without askingThe reasonable & prudent parent standard — sleepovers, sports, haircuts (almost)
Verified Jun 2026
Policy source →
Photos, social media & privacyWhat you can share, and what could end a placement
Verified Jul 2, 2026
Policy source →
Everything else, by topic.
Money & logistics
School & education
Court & your case
When things go wrong
Transitions
Heads up: Georgia's foster care health plan is changing hands — slowly.
Georgia Families 360° is still run by Amerigroup today. The state awarded the next contract to UnitedHealthcare, but the switch has been delayed repeatedly — latest reporting extends the current insurers into 2027. We re-check this monthly — see the current status before you rely on plan details. Checked Jul 2, 2026
You don't have to figure this out alone.
The Georgia Center for Resources & Support offers free courses, a lending library, regional advisors, and support groups for foster, adoptive, and kinship families — state-funded, no membership needed.