South Carolina Code of Regulations
Chapter 24 - OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR- DIVISION FOR REVIEW OF THE FOSTER CARE OF CHILDREN
Section 24-17 - Scheduling of Case Reviews

A. The foster care agency, child-caring facility, or residential group care home shall provide initially to the assigned review board coordinator the "Roster of All Children Presently In Foster Family, Child-Caring Facility, Or Residential Group Care Home In Excess Of Four Consecutive Months" for children in public foster care or the "Roster Of All Children Presently in Foster Family, Child-Caring Facility, or Residential Group Care Home In Excess of Six Consecutive Months" for children in private foster care. These entities shall thereafter provide the "Monthly Update" of children in public foster care who are entering the four consecutive months period, children in private foster care who are entering the six consecutive months period, and/or children leaving care after residing in public or private foster care in excess of six consecutive months.

B. Unless emergency review is warranted as specified by the involved agencies, child-caring facilities, or residential group care homes, or review board, the review board coordinator shall notify the designated representative of the agency, child-caring facility, or residential group care home at least four weeks in advance of:

C. Unless otherwise specified, child-caring agencies, child-caring facilities, and residential group care homes shall be responsible for deciding which children shall be reviewed at a particular review and for presenting the case at the six months intervals specified in the review board statute. The agency, child-caring facility, or residential group care home and the review board coordinator may mutually agree that the coordinator will assume this responsibility. Such an agreement shall be consummated by a written, signed statement to this effect; the absence of a written agreement shall imply that the agency, child-caring facility, or residential group care home retains these responsibilities.

D. The initial review of each child in foster care shall be held after four consecutive months in public foster care or six consecutive months in private foster care and each child shall be reviewed every six months thereafter if continuing to reside in public or private foster care.

E. All members of a sibling group who are in public foster care in excess of four consecutive months or in private foster care in excess of six consecutive months shall be reviewed at one time.

F. For children residing in child-caring facilities, or residential group care homes, all cases involving Department of Social Services or other agency workers from one county shall be reviewed together when possible if travel is involved.

G. All case reviews which will be attended by Department of Social Services State Office adoption workers or adoption workers of other agencies shall be scheduled together when possible if travel is involved.

H. Effort shall be made to review the cases of one particular worker together when possible.

I. Specific times shall be scheduled for each case so as to minimize the waiting time for all invited parties.

J. Local review boards shall be notified by the review board coordinator in advance of the approximate number of cases to be reviewed and the approximate time the hearing will last. Each member shall make arrangements to stay until all cases are reviewed.

K. If a review board falls behind in the number of cases it should be reviewing in order to uphold the "every six consecutive months" clause of the statute, the review board coordinator shall notify the chairperson of the local review board and the South Carolina Department of Social Services. When a review board becomes delinquent, the chairperson of the local review board shall provide the State Board of Directors a written proposed solution for bringing the review board up-to-date. The review board coordinator shall be responsible for keeping the local review boards informed as to the status of the caseloads.