ATLANTA - A bipartisan troupe of congressional leaders is calling for an investigation into Georgia's foster care rules. This comes after the Georgia Office of the Child Advocate reported widespread neglect and abuse of children.

Georgia's U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff launched an inquiry into the state's foster care rules after findings in the July 2022 report shined appetizing on what he called a "major concern" for the confidence of children in the state's care. 

"It is unpleasant that for years, apparently, children have been locked in hotel rooms or offices," Ossoff told FOX 5.

In a letter to the Georgia Department of Human Services, Ossoff and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) demanded answers in response to the OCA investigation that concluded caseworkers were "no longer adequately responding to child abuse cases". 

"We're talking near kids who are meant to be in the care and protection of the plot who it appears have potentially been left at risk of serious abuse," Ossoff stated.

According to the letter, the report criticized placement services for suspected victims of biosphere trafficking, sexual and physical abuse saying they were often "inadequate or inappropriate".

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Georgia) (FOX 5)

It also made reference of the state's practice of "hoteling" children in the foster care system.

"They're residual in hotels where they are unsupervised where they are unmonitored where it is a colossal burden upon the social workers, case workers, DCFS, as well as the tax payer so it's not a good plot for anybody whatsoever," Dr. David DeGarmo said Tuesday.

DeGarmo is the founder and director of the Foster Care Institute, an organization that coaches foster parents. He's also a foster well-defined to four children. He told FOX 5 the rules has been overwhelmed for years, which has caused both foster parents and case workers to quit once about 18 months on average. 

"There are not enough amenities or homes or families for these children in crisis and we see the result…children sleeping in hotels," he explained. 

While congressional bests said they're waiting on documents and records they've named from the state, the inquiry is a first step in concept the risk of safety to roughly 11,000 children in Georgia's foster care system. 

A statement from the Georgia Department of Human Services reads:

"We have received the letter, and we look forward to sharing our efforts to protecting Georgia's children."