If an agency determines that the siblings cannot be placed together and/or cannot have frequent visits, the agency must document the reasons that it is contrary to the safety or well-being of the siblings to be placed together or to have frequent visitation.  

Arizona policy requires that the state make reasonable efforts to place a child with all or any of the child’s siblings unless there is documented evidence that placement together is contrary to the child’s or a sibling’s safety or well-being.   Documented reason for siblings not being placed together must be directly related to safety, permanency and well-being of the child or the siblings. ()

Colorado procedures state that if siblings are not placed together, the social worker must document in detail all efforts to place the siblings together; when applicable, why those efforts would be contrary to the safety and well-being of any of the siblings; and what, if any, efforts are ongoing to facilitate a placement together or why the efforts are not appropriate.

Illinois policy outlines the only acceptable reasons for placing siblings apart and requires that the child's worker document in the case record the reason why the child was not placed with his or her siblings. The child's worker is required to explain why the siblings were placed apart and document in the case record what efforts were made to place them together.

Michigan’s Children’s Foster Care Manual states that if siblings are not placed together, the foster care worker must document in the case plan the efforts to place the siblings together and the reason why the siblings are separated.

Texas requires that the following issues be documented in the case record:  any reasons that siblings are not placed together or in close proximity; all efforts to maintain regular sibling contact and relationships, or why this is not occurring; and continual assessment and efforts to reunite siblings in placement. In the event siblings cannot be reunited within 60 days, continued documentation of all efforts to reunite the siblings must be kept in the record and addressed at the initial and subsequent Permanent Planning Team meetings (PPTs).

The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families’ Information Memorandum states that if the agency identifies a reason for not placing all the siblings together, a written justification for the decision is to be placed in the case file and in the state data system. Separate sibling placements are to be reviewed every six months during the permanency plan review or court permanence hearing.

Maryland policy states that all sibling visits are to be documented in the case plan which is to include visit frequency, participants and the planned location.  If a child refuses to visit a sibling, the caseworker is to clearly document the refusal in the case plan. The caseworker should continue to work with the child and revisit the idea of sibling visits.

New York State requires documentation of contacts with separated siblings.

Washington State’s Practices and Procedures Guide  states that the social worker is to document visits in the case notes, including: observations, progress, concerns or changes; visit reports from contracted agencies (and notes from approved natural supports who provide visits); and the reasons why visits did not occur within the recommended timeframes.