Mission Statement
The Division utilizes panels of community volunteers to promote safe, permanent homes for children in foster care in a timely manner and to increase public awareness regarding the impact of child abuse and neglect.
The South Carolina Children's Foster Care Review Board was created in 1974 by the General Assembly to monitor the progress in achieving permanent placements for children in foster care. The Children's Foster Care Review Board is administered by the Governor's Office of Executive Policy and Programs.
South Carolina was the first state to pass a law allowing citizens from each community to become involved in the child welfare system by participating in case reviews of all children who spend longer than four consecutive months in foster care. The objectives of these reviews are to ensure that permanent plans are being made for children and families; and, to promote community awareness about these issues.
Each of South Carolina's sixteen judicial circuits has at least one local review board. Each local review board is made up of five volunteers, appointed by the Governor, from the community. A professional staff person from the Division of Foster Care Review coordinates the monthly review meetings of each local board.
The Children's Foster Care Review Board is supported by a seven member State Board of Directors. The State Board meets quarterly and is responsible for reviewing and coordinating the activities of the local review boards and making recommendations in an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly.
