Did you Know?

• More than 20,000 Georgia children are in state custody¹
• The number of cases of suspected child abuse and neglect in Georgia reached 32,403 in March 2004, an increase of 28% since December²
• 3,158 children were removed from their homes and put into foster care during the first quarter of 2004, an increase of 27% from the same period last year³
• Only nine of Georgia’s 159 counties meet the national standard of 17 cases per caseworker. The average caseload is 23, but varies to as high as 70⁴
• The number of foster families continues to decrease from an estimated 4,000 two years ago to 3,000 today.⁵
• “Once they enter the foster system, children often get lost and end up languishing for months and even years.” ⁶
• “Children in foster care are not getting the therapeutic services that they need…” ⁷

The Goshen Valley Boys Ranch offers hope to children who find themselves caught within the state’s child welfare system. With its therapeutic family model, the Ranch offers a safe, healing alternative to foster care.

¹ “Deaths Prompt Overhaul of Georgia’s Child Welfare System,” National Public Radio, January 23, 2004

² “Child Welfare Cases Soar, Strain Staffers,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 1, 2004

³ “Child Welfare Cases Soar, Strain Staffers,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 1, 2004

⁴ “Child Welfare Cases Soar, Strain Staffers,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 1, 2004

⁵ “The Poor are Hit the Hardest,” Georgia Association of Homes and Services for Children, June 2, 2004

⁶ “A Frayed Safety Net,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 3, 2004

⁷ “The Poor are Hit the Hardest,” Georgia Association of Homes and Services for Children, June 2, 2004

Want to help the Ranch? Find out more about giving.

Interested in placement? Learn more about admissions.

Want to learn more about issues affecting children in Georgia? The following websites can help:

• The Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic, a part of the Emory University School of Law (advocacy group for children in Georgia’s welfare system):
  www.childwelfare.net
• The Georgia Association of Homes and Services for Children:
  www.gahsc.org
• Georgia Court Appointed Special Advocates (trains volunteers to help abused and neglected children in the juvenile court system):
  www.casa.org
• Voices for Georgia’s Children (public advocacy group for children and families):
  www.georgiavoices.org
• Adoptive & Foster Parent Association of Georgia:
  www.afpag.org
• Georgia Department of Human Resources (to report child abuse):
  http://dhr.georgia.gov

The Goshen Valley Boys Ranch is a Georgia licensed Child Care Home and a member of the Georgia Association of Homes and Services for Children. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.