Back to Methodology

Placement Type

A child’s out-of-home placement type is captured in the following categories. The CWS/CMS codes for each category are drawn from the variable PLC_FCLC (unless otherwise noted) and listed below. Underlined names represent the names displayed in output tables. Note that Resource Family Homes are included with other homes of like type (Relative/NREFM, Foster, FFA) and that Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Programs are included with Group Homes.

Note: As of the Quarter 3, 2021 data extract, we create placement records showing runaway status starting on the date the child left their last placement with a placement change reason of "Child ran away from placement" (1431) and ending on the date the child either entered another placement or the placement episode ended. Placements lasting less than one day are included in this calculation. This adds records of past runaway events to our UCB_FC file that take the same form as that of current runaway events recorded in CWS/CMS. Across reports, this has caused shifts versus earlier extracts in placement type distributions, particularly reductions in Group Care and increases in the Runaway and Other categories. Changes are most notable in earlier time periods, in probation-supervised care, and when predominant placement type is selected.

Note: As of the Quarter 1, 2018 data extract, we use the CWS/CMS placement history table, PLACEMENT_FACILITY_TYPE_HISTORY (PFACHIST), and placement history data derived from an analysis of facility type change between extracts to more accurately determine placement types over time.

Important note: Prior to mid-2017, it was not possible for Resource Family Approval (RFA) early implementing counties to accurately capture the number of children living in "Kin" placement types (now called "Relative/NREFM"). Early implementing counties were instructed to enter all new placements with resource families into the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System as "Foster" placement types, including those placed with relatives. To obtain accurate information regarding relative placements, reports should be filtered/restricted by "Relative" caregiver relationship type. Please note, non-related extended family members could not be identified for resource family homes at this time and were reflected as a "Nonrelative" caregiver relationship type.

  1. Pre-Adopt
  2. Relative/NREFM
    • Relative/NREFM Home (1421)
    • Tribe Specified Home (1422) *No longer active as of January 23, 2021
    • County Approved Resource Family Approval (RFA) Home (6914) where SCP_RLTC = 1638 (Relative Guardian), 1639 (Relative Nonguardian), 6990 (NREFM Guardian), or 6991 (NREFM Nonguardian)
    • Foster Family Agency Resource Family Approval (RFA) Home (6915) where SCP_RLTC = 1638 (Relative Guardian), 1639 (Relative Nonguardian), 6990 (NREFM Guardian), or 6991 (NREFM Nonguardian)
  3. Foster
    • Foster Family Home (1416)
    • Small Family Home (1415)
    • County Approved Resource Family Approval (RFA) Home (6914) where SCP_RLTC = 1636 (Nonrelative Guardian), 1637 (Nonrelative Nonguardian), or 6715 (Self)
  4. FFA
    • Foster Family Agency (1414)
    • Foster Family Agency Certified Home (2200)
    • Foster Family Agency Resource Family Approval (RFA) Home (6915) where SCP_RLTC = 1636 (Nonrelative Guardian), 1637 (Nonrelative Nonguardian), or 6715 (Self)
  5. Court Specified (1419)
  6. Tribally Approved Home (7208)
    • Note: Tribally Specified Home Code (O_HM_PLT.TRBSPH_CD) is not used in the determination of this placement type category.
  7. Group/STRTP
    • Group Home (1417)
    • Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP) (6916)
  8. Shelter
    • County Shelter/Recving Home(Non EA/AFDC) (1418)
    • Temporary Shelter Care Facility (7027)
  9. Non-Foster-Care (Non-FC)
  10. Guardian (5411)
    • Guardian – Dependent
    • Guardian – Non-Dependent
  11. Runaway (PLCG_RNC=1431, NFC_FCLC=7164, 7181)
  12. Trial Home Visit (PLCG_RNC=1440)
  13. Supervised Independent Living Placement (SILP) (6716)
  14. Transitional Housing (TRNHSG_IND = Y or TRNHSG_FAC = Y)
  15. Mixed (Predominant Placement type only. See note below.)
  16. Other (all other codes)
  17. Missing
Not all placement types are included for all reports. For example, the following placement types may be excluded if not relevant to a report:
  • Pre-Adopt
  • Trial Home Visit
  • Supervised Independent Living Placement (SILP)
  • Non-Foster-Care (Non-FC)
  • Guardian – Dependent
  • Guardian
    • Guardian – Dependent
    • Guardian – Non-Dependent
If there are instances of a placement type that is not offered for a particular report, then those instances will be counted in the Other category for that report.

When they are used, the additional or more detailed categories are determined as follows:
  • Children who have a signed adoption agreement are coded as Pre-Adopt.
  • Depending on the report, children with an assignment of Guardian may be coded as the part of the single category Guardian or may be coded as either Guardian – Dependent or Guardian – Non-Dependent. The former category is for children who have a legal guardian and are also dependents of the Juvenile Court; the latter for children who have a legal guardian but are not dependents of the Juvenile Court.
  • Placements of children reported on the non-foster care placement table are coded as Non-Foster Care (Non-FC). However, non-foster care placements are only reported when the child also had one or more foster care placements in the same episode, as placement episodes consisting only of non-foster care placements are excluded from all reports.
  • For all other non-missing values, those with an open placement episode, but no open out-of-home placement and no reliable data regarding why, are coded as Other.
  • Tribe Specified Home (1422) was discontinued as a Placement Facility Type effective January 23, 2021 because it did not correspond to a specific facility type and resulted in inaccurate placement and facility data. Some children/youth placed before January 23, 2021 may still be reported as being placed in a Tribe Specified Home if the placement started before that date, is still open, and the Placement Facility Type for that facility has not been changed in CWS/CMS.
    The term Tribally Specified Home (TSH) is now used to refer to a placement that a tribe designates as its preferred placement option for an Indian child who is in the custody of the county, irrespective of the Placement Facility Type or agency approving or licensing the placement facility. The TSH designation only applies after the identified child is placed in the approved or licensed home or facility. It is reported in the out-of-home placement notebook using a Tribally Specified Home Code (O_HM_PLT.TRBSPH_CD). Please see ACL 22-08 for more information.

There are five versions of the Placement Type variable:
  1. First Placement Type is placement type on the first day of a placement episode,
  2. Placement Type is placement type on the selected date,
  3. Placement Type at 12 months is, for children who exited care within 12 months of entry, the child's last placement type prior to leaving care. For children who were in a foster care placement 12 months after entry it is the placement type of that placement. For children in an open placement episode but not in a foster care placement 12 months after entry, the Placement Type at 12 Months is that of the child's last placement in the episode prior to the 12 months date. It is reported as missing when the child's first foster care placement in the placement episode started more than 12 months after the start of the episode. This may be because the child was in a non-foster care placement (e.g., a medical setting), because the episode start date and/or the placement start data was entered incorrectly, or for some other reason.
  4. Last Placement Type is determined on the last day of a placement episode, and
  5. Predominant Placement Type is the placement type category that comprises more than 50% of the days spent in foster care during a placement episode. If no placement type comprises more than 50%, the placement type category ‘Mixed’ is assigned.
For some reports, more than one of these versions may be available.

Note: For Transition Age Youth (TAY) Employment and Postsecondary Enrollment reports:
  • For the dimensions Last Placement Type (by Age 18):
    • The category Tribally Approved Home (7208) is included in the Court Specified category.
    • The categories Group/STRTP (1417, 6916) and Shelter (1418, 7027) are combined as Congregate Care.
    • The categories Supervised Independent Living Placement (SILP) (6716) and Missing are included in the Other category.
  • For the dimension Predominant Placement Type (by Age 18):
    • The categories Pre-Adopt, Court Specified (1419), Tribally Approved Home (7208), Supervised Independent Living Placement (SILP) (6716) and Missing are included in the Other category. Note: These categories are calculated as independent predominant placement type categories but are included in the Other category for reporting purposes.