Services

Child Abuse & Child Neglect Investigations
Investigations of reports of child abuse are conducted by Child Protective Services caseworkers. When an abuse report is made to the agency, it is these workers’ responsibility to assure the safety of the child, conduct a thorough investigation of the facts of the report, and develop a plan with the family to help them remedy the problems which might exist in their home.

Child abuse investigations are conducted according to a number of state and federal laws and regulations.

Caseworkers also investigate complaints of child neglect and dependency. These may include situations when food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or supervision of a child is in question. Again the facts of the report are thoroughly investigated and a plan is developed if agency intervention is necessary.

In-Home Protective Services
These services are provided to families who need supportive casework help in order to maintain a healthy and appropriate level of parenting. Together, families and caseworkers work on the family service plan developed during the intake investigation. Some families receive intensive protective services if there is a high risk of possible placement of their children.

Foster Care, Residential Placement & Adoption Services
The purpose of foster care is to allow children to live with other families when it becomes impossible for the child's biological parents to provide basic child care such as food, clothing, supervision, and safety from harm. The foster family provides a warm, nurturing home until the natural family can once again care for their children.

Foster care is temporary, and is done only with the permission of the court. Parents are assessed for their ability to contribute toward cost of care for their children.

Residential Placement
When a child requires highly structured, supervised, 24-hour care, a residential or group home facility is utilized. Youth who have serious behavior or emotional difficulties and cannot be cared for adequately in a family setting are placed into these facilities. The agency's goal is to return these youth back to the community or to establish independent living arrangements for them.

Adoption
In the area of adoption, the agency primarily works with children who are in foster care and are in need of a permanent family. Many of these children are school age and often have behavioral, health, or emotional problems. Casework services are provided to the adoptive family both before and after the adoption to assist them to meet the child's needs. An adoption subsidy may be available for children who qualify.

Independent Living Services Community Referrals
Lancaster County is fortunate to have many services which are available to serve those in need, such as counseling, educational services, and emergency services for housing, food, and clothing. If you are aware of a family who needs these services, please contact us. A caseworker will be able to tell you more about the services that are available through our agency and also in the community.