The siblings being separated was supported by the recommendation from the sibling separation evaluation which suggested that the siblings remain in their respective homes. The agency's practice to seek outside consultation when siblings are separated coupled with concerns about disrupting the sibling's attachments, further supported the agency's decision for outside consultation. Influencing the agency's practice to seek outside consultation was the requirement to look at the best interests of both children and to make an individual determination regarding each child. 

Additionally, the subject child had significant medical needs and the sibling child's foster care provider stated they could not care for the subject child. Because of the ambivalence the agency perceived that if they placed the subject child with the sibling child's foster parents, it placed both placements at risk of disruption; therefore, the agency made the decision to not place the subject child with the sibling child's foster parents.