What must my placement policies include?

• A. Ensure that a child is not placed before determining appropriateness of foster care or adoption.
• B. Make every effort to place siblings together and document when separation is necessary.
• C. Ensure contact between siblings is maintained when not placed together or document why contact is not appropriate.
• D. All of the above.

Answer: (D)

Placement policies must address three connected realities in child placement decisions. First, decisions about where a child is placed should not occur until there is a clear determination of whether foster care or adoption is appropriate, ensuring the placement serves the child’s safety, permanency, and well-being. Second, policies should prioritize keeping siblings together when possible, and if separation is necessary, there must be thorough documentation explaining why. Third, policies should require maintaining contact between siblings when they are not placed together, or provide a documented justification for why such contact is not appropriate. Together, these elements promote stability, preserve important family connections, and create accountability in placement decisions. That’s why all of the above is correct.