Supports and Services for Expectant and Parenting Youth in Foster Care - Georgia

Date: October 2025

Youth's Parental Rights
Citation: Ann. Code § 31-9-2(a)(5); Child Welf. Pol. Man. Ch. 10. Pol. # 10.21

Any female, regardless of age or marital status, is authorized and empowered to consent for herself, either orally or otherwise, to any surgical or medical treatment or procedures not prohibited by law which may be suggested, recommended, prescribed, or directed by a duly licensed physician, when given in connection with pregnancy, or the prevention thereof, or childbirth.

In policy: The Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) will ensure physical and legal custody of the child of a parenting youth remains with the parenting youth in foster care unless it is determined contrary to the safety of the child.

When a youth in foster care has a child, the child should remain in the custody of the youth unless it is determined that the parenting youth has abused or neglected the child and the child is unsafe in the custody of the parenting youth.

Parenting youth may need time to adjust to their new role and responsibilities as a parent. Therefore, it is critical the parenting youth and child are in a safe, caring environment that allows the youth the opportunity to enhance his or her parenting skills. Identifying expectations and outlining responsibilities of the placement resource and the parenting youth regarding the care of the child are critical in facilitating a successful placement. The social services case manager (SSCM) and placement resource must give the parenting youth the liberty to parent his or her child while providing the support to make parenting efforts successful. Ongoing safety must be thoroughly assessed through purposeful and collateral contacts.

The SSCM shall assist the expectant or parenting father who is in foster care in planning for his child through the following:

  • Include the expectant father in the family meeting with the expectant mother, if applicable
  • Discuss the following with the expectant or parenting father who is in foster care:
    • The identity of the expectant or parenting mother
    • The mother's plan for herself and their child
    • The involvement the expectant or parenting father desires with his child
    • The process for legitimating the child, including paternity testing
    • The expectant or parenting father as a possible placement resource for the child, if appropriate
    • Financial supports available if the child is placed with the father whether DFCS obtains custody of the child or not (i.e. foster care maintenance payments; Medicaid; Women, Infants and Children; etc.)
    • Visiting arrangements for the expectant or parenting father and his child, if they are not residing together 
    • The expectant or parenting father's child support obligations

Placement Options
Citation: Child Welf. Pol. Man. Ch. 10. Pol. # 10.21

The SSCM shall determine the following:

  • The placement resource's willingness to support the expectant mother throughout pregnancy and ensure the receipt of appropriate prenatal care
  • Alternative placement options for the expectant mother and child, if they cannot remain in the current placement
  • An appropriate placement for the expectant mother as soon as possible, if the current placement resource is unable to care for the youth during pregnancy or is unable to care for the youth and child after the birth

After the child is born, the SSCM will conduct a purposeful contact with the placement resource to discuss the support needed for the parenting youth and child and discuss the following:

  • Safety of the child, including a discussion of safe sleeping practices, motor vehicle safety, and any needed baby items
  • The sleeping arrangements of the parenting youth and infant
  • Expectations of the placement resource's role regarding the care of the child
  • The types of support the placement resource can offer parenting youth
  • The plan to ensure how the parenting youth can continue with typical childhood experiences (i.e. school attendance, spending time with friends, extracurricular activities, school dances, prom, graduation, etc.) while being responsible for the care of their child
  • Applying the reasonable and prudent parenting standard with the parenting youth

Health Services 
Citation: Child Welf. Pol. Man. Ch. 10. Pol. # 10.21

DFCS will ensure pregnant youth in foster care receive appropriate prenatal care.

The SSCM will ensure youth who suspect they are pregnant receive a medical exam to do the following:

  • Confirm the pregnancy
  • Assess the youth's health and the health of his or her unborn child
  • Determine a due date for the child
  • Develop a plan for ongoing prenatal care, including the plan to manage any ongoing physical or mental health concerns 

The SSCM will also arrange prenatal care visits.

Parent Preparation for Expectant Youth
Citation: Child Welf. Pol. Man. Ch. 10. Pol. # 10.21

If the expectant youth decides to have the baby, the SSCM will discuss planning and preparation activities for the birth with the expectant youth and placement resource during purposeful contacts, including the following:

  • Ongoing prenatal visits
  • Items the baby and the youth will need after the birth
  • Who will support the youth during childbirth
  • The importance of bonding with the baby during pregnancy and after birth
  • Potential risk factors for infants such as safe sleep, failure to thrive, crying baby, shaken baby, falling off beds or changing tables, and watering down formula 

If the expectant youth decides not to become a parent (i.e., adoption or other options), the SSCM will ensure the youth has the supports and services needed, including family supports, counseling, conferring with the guardian ad litem or attorney, etc.

Education and Services to Support Parenting Youth
Citation: Child Welf. Pol. Man. Ch. 10. Pol. # 10.21

The SSCM will ensure the expectant youth is well supported to maintain his or her education and other well-being goals. The SSCM will engage caregivers, family supports, the youth's school, and any other support system as needed and in conjunction with the youth.

The SSCM will arrange for services for the expectant mother or expectant father. Services should include, but not limited to the following:

  • Family planning or professional counseling to assist in the decision-making and planning related to the pregnancy (e.g., Planned Parenthood)
  • Parenting education classes specific to the needs of parenting youth, including support for coparenting
  • Childbirth preparation classes (e.g., Lamaze classes)
  • Mental health or substance abuse counseling, if applicable
  • Information on healthy relationships (e.g., GA-PREP, Title V Sexual Risk Avoidance, Relationship Smarts, etc., if available)

For information on assisting youth in foster care to finish high school, see Educational Supports for Youth in Foster Care - Georgia | Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Economic and Concrete Supports 
Citation: Child Welf. Pol. Man. Ch. 10. Pol. # 10.21

DFCS will provide foster care maintenance payments for a child who is not in DFCS custody but is placed together with his or her parenting youth in foster care.

The title IV-E program allows States to claim reimbursement for the cost of a child living in the same placement as its parent in foster care without obtaining custody of the child. The added cost of care for the child is reimbursed through the parenting youth's IV-E status. Only one payment is made to the placement provider. State funds may be used if the child remains in the custody of a parenting youth in foster care who is not title IV-E eligible.

Services and Supports for Parenting Youth That Promote Self-Sufficiency
Citation: Child Welf. Pol. Man. Ch. 10. Pol. # 10.21

Expectant and parenting youth in foster care need help to guide them along positive developmental pathways and provide their children with the care they need to learn, grow, develop, and reach their full potential. SSCMs can facilitate this by supporting the healthy development of the youth parent by doing the following:

  • Ensuring the parent receives consistent medical attention, including prenatal and postnatal care
  • Providing supports that promote age-appropriate developmental goals and address relevant mental health issues, including the impact of trauma
  • Providing education related to substance abuse (specifically the risks that substance use poses to the developing child), sexual health, the prevention of subsequent pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections
  • Encouraging healthy relationships with partners, peers, family members, and other supportive people
  • Promoting self-sufficiency and independent living outcomes for expectant and parenting teens by helping them obtain high school diplomas or GEDs and pursue additional education and employment opportunities or job training

Teen Parent Connection (TPC) is a system of care that provides the support, guidance, and assistance needed by teen mothers and fathers to succeed as adults and parents. TPC serves pregnant or parenting teens (both moms and dads) aged 13 to 19 in State custody and their child (or children) or teen parents with a child in State custody.

TPC utilizes life coaches who reach out to teens through home visits, phone contacts, and engagement in both individual and group settings. doing the following:

  • Ensuring the parent receives consistent medical attention, including prenatal and postnatal care
  • Providing supports that promote age-appropriate developmental goals and address relevant mental health issues, including the impact of trauma
  • Providing education related to substance abuse (specifically the risks that substance use poses to the developing child), sexual health, the prevention of subsequent pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections
  • Encouraging healthy relationships with partners, peers, family members, and other supportive people
  • Promoting self-sufficiency and independent living outcomes for expectant and parenting teens by helping them obtain high school diplomas or GEDs and pursue additional education and employment opportunities or job training

The services offered include the following:

  • Screenings and assessments
  • Parenting skills training for individuals and groups
  • Job skills training and career placement
  • Life skills support (financial literacy, educational support, medical/health support, building healthy relationships, etc.)
  • Legal support
  • Peer support and advocacy

Foster Care Prevention Strategy for any Child Born to the Youth
Citation: Child Welf. Pol. Man. Ch. 10. Pol. # 10.21

DFCS will do the following:

  • Promote positive outcomes for expectant and parenting youth in foster care through engagement, support, and services for the youth, the child, and their caregivers
  • Ensure that the case plan or transitional living plan for the expectant or parenting youth is updated to include outcomes related to providing proper care and support for his or her child, if applicable
  • Ensure that expectant or parenting youth in foster care (both mothers and fathers), receive the services and support needed to provide proper care for their child, support bonding with their child, and successfully navigate the developmental stages of adolescence 
  • Conduct a purposeful contact with the mother in foster care and infant within 24 hours of the birth to provide support, plan for the discharge of the parenting youth and child, and assess child safety and well-being
  • Determine the frequency of purposeful and collateral contacts needed to support the parenting youth and their child

SSCMs can facilitate this with the following:

  • Supporting the healthy development of the child, as follows:
    • Ensuring the parent receives consistent medical attention, including prenatal care, to increase the likelihood of a healthy birth
    • Assisting the parent in registering for other supports such as Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program so the child receives regular medical care, including developmental screenings
    • Connecting the children of youth mothers and fathers with developmentally appropriate resources, child care, and services for the child, including transportation and educational opportunities
  • Supporting strong parent-child relationships that promote attachment and bonding, as follows:
    • Providing access to programs that promote positive parenting and emphasize nurturing as well as age-appropriate discipline
    • Connecting the youth to models of good parenting practices and programs that provide education about essential parenting skills and the importance of responsive parenting
    • Offering opportunities to practice parenting skills in a supportive environment