child welfare

Our Child Welfare Division provide an array of prevention and intervention services to children, youth and families, particularly children and youth who have been or are at risk of abuse or neglect. These programs also serve children and youth with emotional, behavioral or mental health needs.

Our programs and policies focus on the protection, care, and healthy development of children and youth with the goal of keeping children and youth safe and strengthening and supporting families so that they can successfully care for their children.

Foster Care

The foster care program at Northern Children’s Services involves placement of children with foster families who have been specially trained to care for children with trauma, medical, mental or behavioral needs. Pregnant teens and teenage mothers and their babies are placed in foster care homes as well.

Our foster care parents give children and youth (ages 4-21) with challenging situations the care, love and nurturing family environment they need. We offer strong support to our resource families including:

Ongoing training
24-hour crisis response and intervention
Financial compensation

Interested in becoming a foster care parent? The requirements are:

25 years of age or older
Can be single or married parents
Must have a Pennsylvania Driver’s License and a safe, running vehicle to transport children
Must be in good physical and emotional health
Can work cooperatively with a team
Can accept the transitional nature of foster care
Can help a child move on to an adoption placement or reunification with his or her family

We work with each foster care parent to meet the child’s needs and provide a safe transition to permanency. If you are interested in becoming a treatment foster care parent call Kia Butler, Director of Treatment Foster Care at 215-482-1423 ext.1261 or knbutler@northernchildren.org for more information.

Adoptions

Northern Children’s Services facilitates adoptions between loving families and children from infancy to 21-years-old. Our children are each in need of safe, caring, and stable environments. Northern is also looking for families who are willing to care for siblings and older children.

Interested in changing a child’s life? The requirements are:

Single individuals as well as 2-parent households
21 years of age or older
Must be in good physical and emotional health
Must be interested in a child or children from infancy to age 21
Those who are interested in adopting sibling sets of 2 children or more
Can work cooperatively with a team
Must have a valid identification and be able to transport a child or children to necessary appointments, visits, etc.
Can engage in training and present with an understanding of topics, such as child development, trauma, grief and loss, and attachment.

We also provide ongoing training and possible subsidies. If you are interested in adoption, please call Jessica Flood, Adoptions and Permanency Supervisor at 215-482-1423 ext.1270 or jflood@northernchildren.org for more information or to sign-up for an information session.

RETI-WRAP

This program connects the Department of Human Services funded reintegration network and the Philadelphia School District’s Re-entry Transition Initiative (RETI-WRAP). The RETI-Wrap Program helps children returning from delinquent placement transition back into regular school and community settings.

For more information about the RETI-Wrap program, please contact 215-482-1423.

Our main focus is making sure the child's needs are being met. The ultimate goal is providing a safe transition into a permanent home. Our time in their lives may be temporary; however, the bond is long lasting.
Kia Butler - Director of Treatment Foster Care