Child Welfare Glossary
Case Planner An ACS or foster care agency caseworker who assesses the need for services and makes referrals to services. The case planner also schedules visits between parent and child, and between siblings, and supervises the foster home.
Child abuse includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse inflicted by a parent or other caretaker.
Child Neglect Parents are responsible for providing the minimum degree of care for their children. Neglect is the failure by the parent or caregiver to prvide food, clothing or shelter. It also inclues abandonment, inadequate supervision of a child by a parent or caregiver, and excessive corporaal punishment, unclean or unsanitary living arrangements and similar situations. Some specific types of neglect include educational neglect, medical neglect, and emotional neglect.
Kinship Foster Care Foster care placement of a child with a relative. Kinship foster care is distinct from kinship care without the involvement of ACS.
Non-respondent Parent The parent for whom there are no allegations of abuse or neglect. This parent has the right to be notified of hearings and to participate as an interested party. He or she may also seek temporary or permanent custody of the child who is the subject of a child protective proceeding.
Permanency A “legal, permanent family living arrangement, that is, reunification with the birth family, living with relatives, guardianship, or adoption.” ACS’s Permanency Principles state that all children deserve safe, nurturing permanent families who can provide an unconditional, lasting commitment to them, and that children and families deserve services that meet their needs. The goal of permanency infuses all service interventions that make up the NYC child welfare system.
Permanency Planning The efforts made by ACS and foster care agencies to provide a permanent home for children either by returning them to their parents, or if that is not possible, through adoption or some other permanent arrangement such as guardianship or legal custody.
Person in Need of Supervision (PINS ) A child under the age of 18 who is alleged to be beyond the control of his or her parents, or whose behavior may be out of control. A parent or guardian may file a petition to request Family Court intervention.
Placement A legal order issued by the Family Court at a Dispositional Hearing and/or at a Permanency Hearing that puts a child in the custody of the ACS Commissioner for up to 12 months from the date the child was placed in foster care.
Remand A legal order that temporarily places a child in the custody of the ACS Commissioner.
Residential Treatment Center (RTC) The RTC is the highest level of foster care. RTC’s are designed to care for children with serious emotional and behavioral problems who need therapeutic services as well as a very structured environment.
Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) A facility licensed and operated by the New York State Office of Mental Health that is for children (ages 6-21) who have serious mental illness and require a structured environment.
Safety and Risk Safety refers to the likelihood that a child is in immediate or impending danger of serious harm as a result of actions or inactions (neglect). Risk is the likelihood that a child may be abused or maltreated in the future. Safety and risk assessments must be completed within 7 days from the receipt of a report of suspect child abuse or maltreatment.
State Central Register (SCR) New York State’s Child Abuse and Maltreatment Hotline (800-342-3720). Anyone can report suspected abuse and neglect to this Hotline, 2 4 hours a day, 7 days a week; all reports are confidential. The SCR relays reports to ACS. Any time ACS gets a report it must investigate within 24 hours.
Substantiated Report A decision that an incident of child abuse or neglect, as defined by State law, is believed to have occurred. The term “founded” can be substituted for “substantiated.”
Surrender of Parental Rights (SPR) A voluntary agreement by the parent to terminate parental rights. A surrender agreement has the same legal effect as a termination of parental rights in that the parent gives up those rights. However, if the agency agrees, the parent can put some conditions of the contract, such as requesting that the child be adopted by a pareicular person. Or the parent may be able to maintain contact with their child through an open adoption process.
Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) Termination of parental rights ends the legal relationship between parent and child. The child is then legally free for adoption.
Therapeutic Foster Boarding Home (TFBH) A foster home providing specialized care to a child who needs additional attention from foster parents who receive specialized training.
Unfounded Report A designation that there is no credible evidence to prove a report of child abuse or neglect. Can also be called “unsubstantiated.”
