When children can’t remain in their own homes with their parents, placement with other family members – over foster parents that the child has never met – is considered the next best thing by child welfare officials.  But when children have been in a loving, stable foster home for a long time, removing children to place them with relatives they may barely know can be traumatic and damaging.  That dichotomy is what led State Sen. Matt Brass, R-Newnan, to introduce Senate Bill 167. The bill passed the Georgia House and Senate unanimously and took effect after Gov. Brian Kemp signed it in May.  Georgia Division of Family and Children’s Services Director Tom Rawlings said the bill addresses an issue he has dealt with for years, in his time as a juvenile court judge, state child advocate and, as of last summer, DFCS director. “One of the complaints I often hear is that you will have a child who has really...READ MORE