Foster Care/Adoption Unit

The Foster Care/Adoption Unit assesses the need for and arranges placement and related services for children when their immediate family is unable to care for them. Our goal is to ensure safe, nurturing care for each child with a plan for permanency. 

We prioritizing placing children with relatives. If this is not possible, children may be placed in foster boarding homes, therapeutic foster homes and residential treatment centers.

We supervise all children in the care and custody of the Commissioner of Social Services, and ensure that they receive the medical, educational, developmental and mental health services that they need.

Children are placed by either the request of a parent or guardian, or as a result of a judicial determination that it would be against the welfare of the child to remain in their own home. Children are placed from birth up to age 18, and can remain in care up to age 21 if they entered prior to turning 18.

Homefinding

The Foster Care Homefinding Unit is responsible for securing placements in foster homes for children who are in the custody of the department and recruiting and training new foster and adoptive parents.