Tex. Codes » Family Code · TITLE 5. THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP AND THE SUIT AFFECTING THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP · SUBTITLE E. PROTECTION OF THE CHILD · CHAPTER 263. REVIEW OF PLACEMENT OF CHILDREN UNDER CARE OF DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES
Texas Codes

Tex. Fam. Code § 263.102 (2026)

Service Plan; Contents

✓ laws through the 89th Legislature (2025)
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Sec. 263.102. SERVICE PLAN; CONTENTS. (a) The service plan must:

(1) be specific;

(2) be in writing in a language that the parents understand, or made otherwise available;

(3) be prepared by the department in conference with the child's parents;

(4) state appropriate deadlines;

(5) specify the primary permanency goal and at least one alternative permanency goal;

(6) state steps that are necessary to:

(A) return the child to the child's home if the placement is in foster care;

(B) enable the child to remain in the child's home with the assistance of a service plan if the placement is in the home under the department's supervision; or

(C) otherwise provide a permanent safe placement for the child;

(7) state the actions and responsibilities that are necessary for the child's parents to take to achieve the plan goal during the period of the service plan and the assistance to be provided to the parents by the department or other agency toward meeting that goal;

(8) state any specific skills or knowledge that the child's parents must acquire or learn, as well as any behavioral changes the parents must exhibit, to achieve the plan goal;

(9) state the actions and responsibilities that are necessary for the child's parents to take to ensure that the child attends school and maintains or improves the child's academic compliance;

(10) state the name of the person with the department whom the child's parents may contact for information relating to the child if other than the person preparing the plan; and

(11) prescribe any other term or condition that the department determines to be necessary to the service plan's success.

(b) The service plan shall include the following statement:

TO THE PARENT: THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENT. ITS PURPOSE IS TO HELP YOU PROVIDE YOUR CHILD WITH A SAFE ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE REASONABLE PERIOD SPECIFIED IN THE PLAN. IF YOU ARE UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO PROVIDE YOUR CHILD WITH A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, YOUR PARENTAL AND CUSTODIAL DUTIES AND RIGHTS MAY BE RESTRICTED OR TERMINATED OR YOUR CHILD MAY NOT BE RETURNED TO YOU. THERE WILL BE A COURT HEARING AT WHICH A JUDGE WILL REVIEW THIS SERVICE PLAN.

(c) Repealed by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 944 , Sec. 86(16), eff. September 1, 2015.

(d) The department or other authorized entity must write the service plan in a manner that is clear and understandable to the parent in order to facilitate the parent's ability to follow the requirements of the service plan.

(e) Regardless of whether the goal stated in a child's service plan as required under Subsection (a)(5) is to return the child to the child's parents or to terminate parental rights and place the child for adoption, the department shall concurrently provide to the child and the child's family, as applicable:

(1) time-limited family reunification services as defined by 42 U.S.C. Section 629a for a period not to exceed the period within which the court must render a final order in or dismiss the suit affecting the parent-child relationship with respect to the child as provided by Subchapter E; and

(2) adoption promotion and support services as defined by 42 U.S.C. Section 629a.

(f) The department shall consult with relevant professionals to determine the skills or knowledge that the parents of a child under two years of age should learn or acquire to provide a safe placement for the child. The department shall incorporate those skills and abilities into the department's service plans, as appropriate.

(g) Repealed by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 944 , Sec. 86(16), eff. September 1, 2015.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20, Sec. 1, eff. April 20, 1995.

Amended by:

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 268 (S.B. 6), Sec. 1.38(a), eff. September 1, 2005.

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1406 (S.B. 758), Sec. 8, eff. September 1, 2007.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 1.174, eff. April 2, 2015.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 944 (S.B. 206), Sec. 32, eff. September 1, 2015.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 944 (S.B. 206), Sec. 86(16), eff. September 1, 2015.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 34 cases (16 in the last 5 years), 2005–2025 · leading case: Liu v. Dep't of Fam. & Prot. Servs., 273 S.W.3d 785 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2008).
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Liu v. Dep't of Fam. & Prot. Servs., 273 S.W.3d 785 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2008). “Tex. Fam.Code § 263.102(a)(l)(2) (Vernon 2002).”
Ruiz v. Texas Dep't of Prot. & Regulatory Servs., 984 F. Supp. 2d 657 (S.D. Tex. 2013). “2d 599 (1982); Tex. Fam.Code § 263.102(e) (referring to 42 U.”
In the Interest of C.G.B., A/K/A M.G.K., & J.R.B., A/K/A R.R.K., Child., 163 S.W.3d 805 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 2005). “TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 263.102 (Vernon 2002).”
in the Interest of N.K.T., No. 01-16-00439-CV, 2016 WL 6277415 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Oct. 27, 2016). · cites it 3× “See TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 263.102 (Vernon Supp.”
In the Interest of A.W. & A.W., Child. v. the State of Texas, No. 02-25-00224-CV (Tex. App.—Fort Worth Aug. 28, 2025). · cites it 3× “5 See Tex. Fam. Code Ann. §§ 263.102 , .106. Mother’s plan required her to, among other things, complete domestic-violence-intervention programs and individual therapy.”
in the Interest of L.C.L. & M.E.M., Child., No. 14-19-00062-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] Sept. 24, 2019). · cites it 2× “See Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 263.102 (a)(2) (Vernon 2019).”
in the Interest of G.L. A/K/A A.L. A/K/A A.L.G.L., a Child, No. 13-21-00410-CV (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi–Edinburg Mar. 10, 2022). · cites it 2× “See TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 263.102(b). The Department and parent should develop the service plan jointly, but the Department may construct the plan without the parent’s participation if it determines that the parent is unable or unwilling to do so.”
in the Interest of S. A. & P. A., Child., No. 12-22-00187-CV (Tex. App.—Tyler Oct. 31, 2022). · cites it 2× “TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 263.102 (West 2019).”
In the Interest of L.D.W., K.A.W., & K.L.C., Child. v. the State of Texas, No. 06-23-00097-CV (Tex. App.—Texarkana Apr. 19, 2024). · cites it 2× “(citing TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 263.102(a)(1), (3)–(5), (7), (8), (11)).”
In re CGB, 163 S.W.3d 805 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 2005). “TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 263.102 (Vernon 2002).”
in the Interest of B.L.H, a Child, No. 14-18-00087-CV, 2018 WL 3385119 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] July 12, 2018). “See Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 263.102 (West Supp.”
in the Interest of A.M.T., a Child, No. 14-18-01084-CV, 2019 WL 2097541 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] May 14, 2019). “See Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 263.102 . The trial court “shall incorporate the original and any amended service plan into the orders of the court.”
Show all 34 citing cases →
Tex. Fam. Code § 263.102(a): 1 case
in the Interest of S. A. & P. A., Child., No. 12-22-00187-CV (Tex. App.—Tyler Oct. 31, 2022). “TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 263.102 (West 2019).”
Tex. Fam. Code § 263.102(a)(1): 4 cases
in the Interest of J.W., a Child, 645 S.W.3d 726 (Tex. 2022).
in the Interest of M.R. & X.R., Child., No. 13-22-00304-CV, 2022 WL 17844215 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi–Edinburg Dec. 22, 2022).
In the Interest of A. C. K. A/K/A A. K. v. Dep't of Fam. & Prot. Servs., No. 01-23-00697-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Mar. 21, 2024).
In the Interest of L.D.W., K.A.W., & K.L.C., Child. v. the State of Texas, No. 06-23-00097-CV (Tex. App.—Texarkana Apr. 19, 2024). “(citing TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 263.102(a)(1), (3)–(5), (7), (8), (11)).”
Tex. Fam. Code § 263.102(a)(1)(2): 1 case
Sally Liu v. Dep't of Fam. & Prot. Servs., No. 01-07-00899-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Nov. 26, 2008).
Tex. Fam. Code § 263.102(a)(l)(2): 1 case
Liu v. Dep't of Fam. & Prot. Servs., 273 S.W.3d 785 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2008). “Tex. Fam.Code § 263.102(a)(l)(2) (Vernon 2002).”
Tex. Fam. Code § 263.102(b): 9 cases
in the Interest of G.L. A/K/A A.L. A/K/A A.L.G.L., a Child, No. 13-21-00410-CV (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi–Edinburg Mar. 10, 2022). “See TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 263.102(b). The Department and parent should develop the service plan jointly, but the Department may construct the plan without the parent’s participation if it determines that the parent is unable or unwilling to do so.”
in the Interest of N.K.T., No. 01-16-00439-CV, 2016 WL 6277415 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Oct. 27, 2016). “See TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 263.102 (Vernon Supp.”
in the Interest of J. Q. J., Minor Child. v. Dep't of Fam. & Prot. Servs., No. 01-18-01094-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] May 30, 2019).
in the Interest of K. M., Jr. a Child v. Dep't of Fam. & Prot. Servs., No. 01-19-00285-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Aug. 22, 2019).
in the Interest of L.C.L. & M.E.M., Child., No. 14-19-00062-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] Sept. 24, 2019). “See Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 263.102 (a)(2) (Vernon 2019).”
Tex. Fam. Code § 263.102(d): 1 case
In the Interest of L.D.W., K.A.W., & K.L.C., Child. v. the State of Texas, No. 06-23-00097-CV (Tex. App.—Texarkana Apr. 19, 2024). “(citing TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 263.102(a)(1), (3)–(5), (7), (8), (11)).”
Tex. Fam. Code § 263.102(e): 1 case
Ruiz v. Texas Dep't of Prot. & Regulatory Servs., 984 F. Supp. 2d 657 (S.D. Tex. 2013). “2d 599 (1982); Tex. Fam.Code § 263.102(e) (referring to 42 U.”
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