Recruits, trains, and certifies foster and adoptive families, and arranges placement of children into appropriate homes. Children may be unable to stay with their family for a variety of reasons, and placement may be temporary or in some cases permanent.

Assists children who are unable to live with their birth parents or relatives, or might otherwise be in residential placements. Provides training and support for individuals for individuals interested in caring for a foster child.

Recruits, trains, and certifies foster and adoptive families, and arranges placement of children into appropriate homes. Children may be unable to stay with their family for a variety of reasons, and placement may be temporary or in some cases permanent.

Provides a residential placement program for hard-to-place youth who cannot stay at home but do not do well in group settings. Placements partner at-risk youth with highly trained foster parents and a team of clinical professionals. Offers 24/7 support for foster parents, assistance with organizing childcare and after-school services, and foster parent support groups.

Provide support and guidance for people who have adopted a child, or would like to adopt. Places and monitors children who are in need of alternative living arrangements with private family homes that are licensed to provide foster care. Offers training for families who wish to offer foster care services in their homes.

Provides local alternative for counties needing to place children at a higher level of care that a county-level foster home can provide. Therapeutic foster homes specialize in the care of children with psychologically, social, emotional and behavioral health care needs who can respond in close relationships within a family setting and whose special needs require more intense or therapeutic services. Also recruits and trains individuals and families to act as foster parents to children in need of out of home care.

Provides training to individuals interested in applying for certification as foster and adoptive parents to prepare to either adopt or foster children that are in the custody of the Commissioner. Places and monitors children that have been placed outside the birth family in licensed foster care homes. Responsible for strengthening and preserving families and ensuring the protection and permanency for children. Placement of children into foster homes occurs in situations of neglect and/or abuse or if the child has been adjucated as a Juvenile Delinquent (JD). Placement only occurs when no other alternatives are possible. The Children and Family Services (FS) collaborates with all DSS divisions, community and state agencies to ensure that children are safe and that families are independent.

Provide support and guidance for people who have adopted a child, or would like to adopt. Places and monitors children who are in need of alternative living arrangements with private family homes that are licensed to provide foster care. Offers training for families who wish to offer foster care services in their homes.

Provides support and guidance for people who have adopted a child, or would like to adopt. Places and monitors children who are in need of alternative living arrangements with private family homes that are licensed to provide foster care. Offers training for families who wish to offer foster care services in their homes.

Provides training to individuals interested in applying for certification as foster and adoptive parents to prepare to either adopt or foster children that are in the custody of the Commissioner. Places and monitors children that have been placed outside the birth family in licensed foster care homes. Responsible for strengthening and preserving families and ensuring the protection and permanency for children. Placement of children into foster homes occurs in situations of neglect and/or abuse or if the child has been adjucated as a Juvenile Delinquent (JD). Placement only occurs when no other alternatives are possible. The Children and Family Services (FS) collaborates with all DSS divisions, community and state agencies to ensure that children are safe and that families are independent.

Maintains foster care placement and foster homes. Also recruits, trains, and certifies foster parents.

The Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) program offers loving, stable homes to children who, for various reasons, are unable to live with their birth parents or family members at this time.TFC serves children of all social, economic and ethnic backgrounds, between the ages of 5 and 18. TFC services children with behavioral, social, and/or emotional challenges.Through counseling and the support of their foster parents, the children are encouraged to acquire better self-control and improved social skills.

Recruits, certifies and trains prospective foster parents in order to provide homes for children who are temporarily removed from their birth families. Works with birth parents, children and foster parents with the goal of reunification. Works with group homes and residential treatment centers for children who need a higher level of structure. Provides ongoing supportive services to foster families. The Adoption Unit works with children who cannot be reunited with birth parents to seek adoption by their present foster parents or placement in a suitable alternative adoptive home. Provides information about post-adoption services.

Assists in finding children an adoptive or foster home placement. Also works with families who want to adopt or become foster parents.

Recruits foster families to care for children placed in foster care. Provides extensive training and reimbursement to help with the expenses while a child is in your home. Call for more detailed information.

Provides services to county residents in various aspects of the family, child and adult protective services, foster care, adoption services, etc.

Recruits and evaluates individuals and couples who want to be foster or adoptive parents for children who are unable to return to their families. Also provides, for birth parents, siblings, individuals or couples who adopt, home studies, post-placement supervision, educational workshops, support groups and counseling.

The Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) program offers loving, stable homes to children who, for various reasons, are unable to live with their birth parents or family members at this time.TFC serves children of all social, economic and ethnic backgrounds, between the ages of 5 and 18. TFC services children with behavioral, social, and/or emotional challenges.Through counseling and the support of their foster parents, the children are encouraged to acquire better self-control and improved social skills.

Offers foster care recruitment and placement for individuals, couples or families interested in foster care. Pre-service parenting classes are provided inorder to better prepare foster parents with issues such as abuse and neglect, abandonment, discipline, etc. Also offers additional support to those who become foster parents.

Provides adoption and foster home evaluation and placement for individuals and families interested in adopting or being a foster parent.

Provides an opportunity for individuals, couples and families to become foster parents, including the training and support throughout the process.

Child welfare program. Provides adoption services, preventive services, and foster care resulting from voluntary or court placement. Resource Family Homefinding Unit maintains a constant availability of safe foster and adoptive home placement resources. This is achieved through ongoing recruitment, identification, training, and development of potential foster/adoptive resource families, with a primary objective of prudent evaluation and suitable placement of needy children into foster/adoptive homes. The Homefinding Team responds to inquiries from interested families providing pertinent information about the application process, necessary training, homestudy development, and the role of being a foster/adoptive parent.

Provides foster care and adoption services for children referred by Erie County DSS. Provides safe temporary family care for children who must be removed from their home because of abuse and neglect. Provides services to parents to help them acquire the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to parent their children safely and reunite their family. When this is not possible, the program provides safe and permanent homes for children through adoption. Also recruits, screens, trains, and supports foster and adoptive parents.

Provides seamless services for foster families and adoptive families of children 0-21 years old, including initial training, certification for foster parents, ongoing training, permanency planning, therapeutic support, medical support and training, in-house clinical team, and weekly face-to-face contact for guidance and support. Resources are offered to assist in the transition of a child entering the foster family's home, both pre-and post-adoption. Additional services provided by on-staff driver/transporter, skill builders, nursing team who provide support for all children placed in care and their foster families, specializing in care for medically therapeutic and high risk children. Staff have experience in the foster care system and/or as foster parents themselves, and are aware of the supports needed to succeed. Post Adoption and post guardianship/kinship services are available through the GA Regional Permanency Center (RPC) provided by OCFS grants. Additional programs include children’s Health Homes, and Chautauqua County based Accountability and Responsibility Program for at risk teens and Family Time Visitation services.