Foster Care in Atlanta: How It Works and How to Get Involved

Foster care in Atlanta is a critical support system for children and teens who cannot safely live with their families. Whether you’re considering becoming a foster parent, curious about how foster care works in Fulton or DeKalb County, or looking for help for a child you care about, understanding the local process can make everything feel more manageable.

This guide walks through how foster care in Atlanta, Georgia operates, who’s involved, what to expect, and how to take your next step.

How Foster Care Works in Atlanta

In Atlanta, foster care is part of Georgia’s statewide child welfare system, but it’s managed locally.

The Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) is the main public agency responsible for:

• Investigating reports of child abuse or neglect
• Deciding when a child needs to be removed from a home
• Placing children with foster families, relatives, or group homes
• Overseeing services to help families reunify when possible

Atlanta is mainly covered by:

• Fulton County DFCS (Atlanta and surrounding areas within Fulton County)
• DeKalb County DFCS (east side and parts of the metro)

Children may be placed with foster families:

• Within the city of Atlanta
• Elsewhere in Fulton, DeKalb, and neighboring counties
• Occasionally, in other parts of Georgia if a local placement isn’t available

The goal is usually reunification with the child’s parents or primary caregivers, when it can be done safely. When reunification isn’t possible, courts may move toward adoption, guardianship, or another permanent plan.

When Children Enter Foster Care in Atlanta

Children in Atlanta may enter foster care for many reasons, including:

• Concerns about abuse, neglect, or unsafe living conditions
• A parent’s substance use, mental health challenges, or incarceration
• A caregiver’s inability to provide consistent supervision or basic care
• Abandonment or repeated instability in housing

DFCS workers and the courts make decisions based on child safety and well-being. In emergencies, a child may be removed quickly while the court reviews the situation soon after.

Children in Atlanta’s foster care system range from newborns to older teens, and sometimes young adults in extended care, with especially high need for:

• Homes for siblings who can stay together
• Families willing to foster older youth and teens
• Caregivers open to children with medical, emotional, or behavioral needs

Key Agencies and Offices in Atlanta

Here are some of the main public agencies involved in foster care in the Atlanta area:

Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) – Statewide

• Role: Oversees foster care, adoption, child protection, and support services statewide.
• General DFCS Customer Service Center:
  • Phone: 1-877-423-4746 (for general questions and connections to local offices)

Fulton County DFCS (Atlanta Area)

Fulton County covers a large portion of Atlanta. DFCS has local offices that manage foster care cases, licensing of foster homes, and support services.

• Fulton County DFCS (Main Service Area for Atlanta – Administrative and Regional Functions)
  Main DFCS regional offices and service centers may be located in or near Downtown or Midtown Atlanta and additional parts of Fulton County.
  • To find the most current local office address and phone number, you can call the statewide DFCS line at 1-877-423-4746 and request Fulton County DFCS or search specifically for “Fulton County DFCS office” with your ZIP code.

DeKalb County DFCS (East Metro Atlanta)

If you live on the east side of Atlanta or in DeKalb County, your case or licensing process may go through DeKalb DFCS.

• For local contact information, you can call 1-877-423-4746 and ask for DeKalb County DFCS, or look up the closest DeKalb DFCS office by city or ZIP.

Who’s Involved in a Foster Care Case

A foster care case in Atlanta usually includes:

• The child or teen in care
• Biological parents or legal guardians
• DFCS case manager (primary agency contact)
• Foster parents or relative caregivers
• Child’s attorney and Guardian ad Litem (GAL) who represent the child’s best interests in court
• Juvenile court judge overseeing the case
• Sometimes: therapists, teachers, medical providers, and community support organizations

Everyone’s main focus is on safety, stability, and permanency for the child.

Becoming a Foster Parent in Atlanta

If you’re interested in becoming a foster parent in Atlanta, you’ll go through a clear but detailed process designed to ensure children are placed in safe, supportive homes.

Basic Requirements

Requirements are set at the state level but apply in Atlanta:

• You must be at least a minimum adult age (commonly 21 or older).
• You may be single, married, or partnered; what matters most is stability and capacity to care for a child.
• You need a steady source of income sufficient to meet your own needs.
• Your home must meet safety and space standards (for example, a separate bed for each child).
• You must pass background checks, including fingerprinting.
• You must complete required training and home study assessments.

Atlanta-area training and licensing is typically coordinated through DFCS and sometimes in partnership with private child-placing agencies.

Steps to Get Licensed as a Foster Parent

While details can vary slightly by county or agency, the general steps in Atlanta are:

1. Initial Inquiry

   • Call DFCS or a licensed foster care agency to express interest and ask questions.
   • Statewide DFCS line: 1-877-423-4746 (ask about becoming a foster parent in Atlanta/Fulton/DeKalb).

2. Orientation Session

   • You’ll attend an information session (in-person or virtual) where staff explain the process, expectations, and support available.

3. Pre-Service Training

   • You’ll complete a required pre-service training course that covers:
     • Trauma and child development
     • Working with birth families
     • Behavior and emotional needs
     • Legal and court processes
   • Classes are often scheduled evenings or weekends to accommodate working adults.

4. Home Study and Inspections

   • A social worker visits your home to:
     • Review safety features (smoke detectors, safe storage of medications, etc.)
     • Talk with all household members
     • Collect documentation and understand your life, routines, and motivation to foster.
   • The goal is to ensure a safe, stable, and appropriate environment for a child.

5. Licensing Decision

   • Once all steps are completed and approved, your home can be licensed as a foster home.
   • You and DFCS (or your agency) discuss what ages and needs you’re best equipped to handle.

6. Placement of a Child

   • When a child needs a home, a caseworker contacts you with information about the child’s age, background, and known needs.
   • You can ask questions and decide whether your home is a good match.

What to Expect as a Foster Parent in Atlanta

Foster parenting can be rewarding and challenging. In Atlanta, you can expect:

• Regular contact with DFCS caseworkers
• Court hearings in local juvenile court, which you may be invited or encouraged to attend
• Visits between the child and their parents or relatives, often at DFCS offices or designated meeting spaces in or around Atlanta
• School enrollment and support, often within Atlanta Public Schools or neighboring systems, depending on where you live
• Access to services for the child, such as counseling, medical care, and educational support

You may receive a monthly reimbursement to help cover the child’s care expenses, but this is not income. It’s designed to offset costs like food, clothing, and daily needs.

Types of Foster Care in Atlanta

Different types of foster care may be available or needed in the Atlanta area:

1. Traditional Foster Care

• Children and teens live with non-relative foster families in the community.
• The focus is often on stability and reunification with birth parents when possible.

2. Kinship Care (Relative Care)

• Children are placed with relatives or close family friends.
• Kinship caregivers may receive support and sometimes formal foster home approval.
• DFCS workers and courts still monitor safety and progress.

3. Therapeutic or Specialized Foster Care

• Designed for children with higher emotional, behavioral, or medical needs.
• Foster parents receive extra training and support.
• Often coordinated through specialized agencies that work closely with DFCS.

4. Respite Care

• Short-term care (often a few days or a weekend) for children already in foster homes.
• Helps support foster families when they need a break or are temporarily unavailable.

Support and Resources for Foster Families in Atlanta

Foster parents in Atlanta are not expected to do it alone. Common supports include:

• Case management support from DFCS or an agency
• Pre-service and ongoing training on trauma, behavior, and parenting strategies
• Access to medical, dental, and mental health services for the child
• Help with school enrollment, special education services, and tutoring
• Peer support groups for foster parents
• Respite care options through agencies or other foster families

Community organizations, faith communities, and local nonprofits in Atlanta often provide:

• Clothing closets or supply drives
• Back-to-school or holiday support
• Mentoring and tutoring for youth in foster care

If you’re already fostering and need help, your caseworker is usually the best first contact. You can also connect with local foster parent associations or support groups that meet in and around Atlanta.

How to Report Concerns About Child Safety in Atlanta

If you are in Atlanta and believe a child is being abused or neglected:

• Georgia Child Protective Services (CPS) Intake
  • Phone (24/7): 1-855-GA-CHILD (1-855-422-4453)

You can call this number from anywhere in Atlanta or Georgia to make a report. You don’t need proof—reasonable suspicion is enough to trigger a professional review.

If a child is in immediate danger, call 911 first.

If Your Child Has Entered Foster Care in Atlanta

If DFCS has become involved with your family and your child has entered foster care:

• You will likely be assigned a DFCS case manager who explains what happened and what steps are required to work toward reunification, if that is the plan.
• You may receive a case plan outlining services or actions, such as parenting classes, counseling, or substance use treatment.
• You’ll likely have court hearings in juvenile court within Fulton County or DeKalb County, depending on where the case is filed.
• Visitation with your child may be scheduled regularly, often at DFCS offices or community locations, if it can be done safely.

Staying in communication with your attorney, your caseworker, and the juvenile court is crucial. Bring questions to your caseworker if you don’t understand the process or what is expected of you.

Foster Care and Adoption in Atlanta

Some foster care cases in Atlanta eventually move toward adoption, especially when:

• Reunification with birth parents is not safe or possible
• Relatives are not available or able to take permanent custody
• The child needs a permanent home and stable caregivers long term

Pathways can include:

• Foster-to-Adopt: A foster family who has been caring for the child may be considered as an adoptive family when parental rights are terminated.
• Adoption from Foster Care: Families specifically open to adopting children already freed for adoption through DFCS.

Adoption from foster care is managed by DFCS adoption units and licensed child-placing agencies. To explore adoption in Atlanta:

• Call DFCS at 1-877-423-4746 and ask about adopting from foster care in Atlanta/Fulton/DeKalb.

Ways to Support Foster Care in Atlanta (Beyond Fostering)

Not everyone can become a foster parent, but Atlanta residents can still make a meaningful difference:

• Become a respite caregiver to support existing foster families.
• Mentor or tutor youth in foster care through local programs.
• Donate clothing, school supplies, or essentials through reputable community drives.
• Volunteer with local nonprofits that assist children in foster care.
• Support kinship caregivers in your own network who are caring for relatives’ children.

Ask your local DFCS office or community organizations about current needs in Atlanta.

Quick Reference: Key Foster Care Contacts for Atlanta

Understanding foster care in Atlanta can feel complex, but you do not have to navigate it alone. DFCS, local courts, and community organizations work together to support children, families, and caregivers across the city. Reaching out to the appropriate office or helpline is often the best first step toward getting the information or support you need.