Children's Services Fact Sheet

click here for a PDF version of this page    About Children’s Services   Children’s Services is the division of Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services (HCJFS) that is legally responsible for taking reports of child abuse and neglect and dependency (via 241-KIDS), investigating reports, and acting to protect child victims and children at risk of harm. Among the responsibilities of the Children’s Services Division: ·    Operates 241-KIDS, Hamilton County’s 24-hour telephone hotline for reporting suspected child abuse and neglect ·    Investigates allegations and transfers cases to Family Services – Ongoing units when children are found to be at significant risk of serious harm ·    Involves families and community partners in making decisions affecting children ·    Connects families with services to help them, including drug abuse treatment, emergency housing, mental health counseling, and parent training ·    Places children in temporary care of relatives, foster parents or institutional settings when they cannot be safe in their own homes ·    Seeks protective, temporary or permanent custody of children through Juvenile Court ·    Recruits and trains foster and adoptive families ·    Prepares children for adoption and arranges for post-adoption services to families ·    Provides training in independent living skills for older teens   Who is eligible for: 241-KIDS / Children’s Services Anyone can make a report of suspected child abuse or neglect to 241-KIDS. Children’s Services is available to families and children when there is an identified risk for child abuse or neglect. Foster Parent Any resident of Ohio over the age of 21 can apply to become a licensed foster parent. For more information on qualifications for licensure, call (513) 632-6366 or visit the foster care website at www.hcfoster.org. Adoptive Parent HCJFS Adoption and Foster Care will assist any adult interested in adoption. For more information call (513) 632-6366 or visit www.hcadopt.org.     How do I apply for: Children’s Services? No application is necessary. Children’s Services and 241-KIDS works with Hamilton County families and children on an as needed basis. Adoption and Foster Care? To become a licensed foster or adoptive parent, you must first complete training and submit an application. Attending an Open House is the first step in the application and training process. Call (513) 632-6366 or visit the Web sites (www.hcfoster.org or www.hcadopt.org) for more information.   Contact Information To report an allegation of child abuse or neglect:                           (513) 241-KIDS (241-5437) To reach a Children’s Services caseworker:                                  (513) 946-1000 To get information about foster or adoptive parenting:                     (513) 632-6366 Online foster parenting information:                                              www.hcfoster.org Online adoption information:                                                        www.hcadopt.org Children available for adoption in Hamilton County:                        www.hcadopt.org