CHINS Truancy Panel

Under O.C.G.A. §15-11-381, a child who has accumulated ten or more days of unexcused absences from school in the current academic year is considered a Child in Need of Services (CHINS) for Truancy. When a CHINS Truancy complaint is filed against the child, the Juvenile Court becomes involved. Dawson County is now implementing a CHINS Truancy Panel to divert first time truancy offenders and their families from formal involvement with the Court.  

The CHINS Truancy Panel is a voluntary informal court supervision program. The Panel is composed of representatives from multiple agencies within the community to help provide the child and family with resources. Upon being referred, the child and family will meet with the Panel to discuss the circumstances surrounding the CHINS Truancy complaint. The Panel will provide an Individualized Intervention Plan for the family to review. By entering into an Informal Adjustment Agreement, a family agrees to be under informal supervision by the Court and complete individual requirements as laid out by the Individualized Intervention Plan. Once a child and family successfully completes the requirements and supervision, the complaint is dismissed and the record is sealed. 

You can find our resources and forms below.  

If you are participating in the CHINS Truancy Panel and need to complete courses, please also find the registration links below. Remember, you must use these links in order for your progress to be recorded and reported to the Panel Coordinator. 

If you are filing a CHINS Truancy complaint, you must bring the compliant to the Dawson County Clerk of Court office to file the complaint.