Three workers in each of the three counties who had the knowledge and experience required for making placement decisions with cocaine-exposed infants were interviewed for 90 minutes. They were asked to recount each step in the investigation process from the initial assignment to the assessment and then the final decision. If workers could order their priorities or weight the importance of certain factors, these insights were included in the analysis. Based on the interviews, decision criteria were placed in nine categories: (1) infant symptomatology (medical and behavioral symptoms); (2) caregiver-infant interactions including touching, eye contact, and preparation for the infant's return home; (3) history of abuse or neglect; (4) criminal/mental health history; (5) substance abuse patterns; (6) caregiver's parenting knowledge and skills; (7) strength of family support systems; (8) stability of home and environment; and (9) agency linkage. This study acknowledges that it is exploratory and requires additional inquiry and refinement to substantiate its credibility and usefulness in child welfare practice. 15 references