Removal Episodes

A removal episode begins when a child enters an out of home placement in any of the following scenarios, a child is: 

• placed outside of his/her home and with a resource, like a foster family or residential resource

• runs away from home  

• placed in a temporary absence 

Notes: 

• A removal episode cannot begin with a Trial Home Visit since the child must first be placed outside of the home to have a Trial Home Visit

• A child can run away from home or be temporarily absent from home but not be in a removal episode

To Begin a Removal Episode

In Casebook, workers can remove a child from either a Case or Assessment page.

1. Scroll to the Placements and Locations Card. Click Edit/Add.

1. Click Yes, <child> is being removed.

2. Clicking No, this is not a removal location will allow you to create a non removal location. To learn more about creating a non removal location, go to the Other Locations page.

1. Follow the instructions on the following pages to update the child's location.

2. When complete the new removal location will appear on the Placements and Locations card on all Cases and Assessments where this child is a Focus Child or a Victim as well as on the child's profile page.

Completing the AFCARS Questionnaire

For each Removal Episode Casebook creates an AFCARS questionnaire. A warning message is displayed at the top of the Placements & Locations card as a reminder to complete the removal questionnaire. There will be a removal questionnaire link for each child placed out of the home in a removal episode.

                                      Cases/Assessments                                         Person Profile

Information about each removal episode the focus child(ren) is listed on the Location History page. 

The Location History page shows the beginning and end of each Removal Episode as well as all placements associated with the episode. When a Removal Episode has ended clicking the Reason link takes you to the Court Hearing that ended the episode.

A link to the AFCARS Questionnaire is also found on the same line where the episode begins. 

Ending Removal Episodes

Removal episodes are ended via court hearings.  Visit Closing/Ending Removal Episodes to learn more about ending Removal Episodes.