Core Functions of Child Welfare
Child Protection Services
Receiving and investigating reports of possible child abuse and neglect. The Division of Child Protection (DCP) investigates allegations of abuse and neglect, and when children cannot remain safely at home, provides a safe alternate environment. DCP includes the Child Protective Borough Field Offices, Family Preservation and Family Assessment Programs, Emergency Children’s Services (ECS), and the Office of Special Investigations (OSI). The Borough Offices, OSI and ECS investigate reports of child abuse and neglect received from the New York State Central Registry. The Office of Special Investigations investigates reports that involve foster parents, child care providers and ACS staff.
If you are trying to track down contact information for a caseworker who is working on a specific child protection case, you can contact the Borough Office.
Foster Care Services
Arranging for children to live with foster families when they cannot lively safely at home. The Division of Family Permanency Services provides oversight and technical assistance to contracted provider agencies ensuring high quality services for children in out of home care in New York City. Our mission is to ensure our network of providers assist parents who are determined to retain or regain custody of their children and find safe, caring, committed, and permanent families for children who cannot be returned to their parents. It also focuses on adoption and other permanent family connections for children leaving foster care. Adolescent services are also part of the Division of Family Permanency Services.
Preventive Care
Providing services to families who need helping protecting and caring for their children. The goal of preventive care is to stabilize and strengthen families so that children do not need to be separated from their families. The division, called the Division of Family Support Services, provides preventive services, parenting education and homemaking services to families throughout New York City, through a network of community-based non profit organizations. These services are designed to strengthen and stabilize families, prevent the need for out-of-home care, speed up permanency and prevent children from returning to foster care after they have been reunified with their parents. The Division provides case management services to pregnant and parenting teens, works to help addicted parents with young children, and builds partnerships between early childhood education and child welfare programs in order to strengthen families with young children.
If you would like to find an agency offering ACS preventive services in your community, click here.
