National Social Work Month: Recognizing Those Who Truly Make a Difference The very heart of the agency, Franklin County Children Services’ social workers are committed, compassionate advocates for children and families. Superheroes in our midst, these tireless individuals strive daily to protect children from abuse and neglect. They also help families in trouble piece their lives back together, providing support, stability and access to community resources. Being a social worker isn’t always the easiest job and yet these amazing individuals step up every day to take on the challenge, with impressive amounts of energy and enthusiasm. Children Services social workers and support staff work to build stable and supportive living settings for young people, strengthen family life and assist parents in meeting their responsibilities to their children. Franklin County Children Services’ social workers possess the truly inspiring power to transform the lives of children and families for the better. We can’t thank them enough, for everything that they do.
To listen to the Choose Your Partner PSA, click here. Parents Urged to "Choose Your Partner Carefully" With an alarming rate of child abuse deaths, Franklin County Children Services, in partnership with the Center for Child and Family Advocacy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, recently launched a campaign urging single parents to carefully consider who they allow to care for and be with their children. Click here for more information, printable Choose Your Partner Carefully literature, and photos.	Safe Havens for Infants Safe Havens for Infants allows a birth parent to confidentially leave an unharmed infant (up to 30 days old) with a medical worker at a hospital, emergency medical staff at a fire station, or a police officer. For more information, click here. 614-229-7200 - To speak to someone confidentially, call SAFE HAVENS for INFANTS

 

About Franklin County Children Services

Franklin County Children Services' mission is clear: to provide protection, care and permanency for children who are abused, neglected or dependent.

Children Services is the public agency mandated by federal and state law to protect children and strengthen families.  By being in partnership with more than 100 agencies and organizations, and with the help of over 700 employees, 400 foster parents, 200 adoptive families and 500 volunteers and mentors, the agency is committed to making sure that every child has a safe and stable home.

 

Each year, Franklin County Children Services helps nearly 28,500 children and their families through prevention, protection, placement and permanency programs.  The agency protects and cares for children in cooperation with parents whenever possible, by providing services to alleviate the problems that led the family to the attention of Children Services. These services include:

• in home counseling and community social and mental health services;
• day treatment,
• therapeutic arts,
• emancipation and volunteer services;
• placement of children in temporary foster homes;
• and other supportive services that enable the family to maintain or resume their role of raising their children.

When parents are still unable to care for their children, Children Services petitions the court for permanent custody and places children in adoptive homes.

 

Children Services is governed by an 11-member volunteer board that establishes policy for the agency. Executive Director Eric Fenner is responsible for agency operations. Children Services is regulated by statutory mandates of the state and federal governments and regulations of the Ohio Department of Human Services. The agency is a member of the Child Welfare League of America and is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children. Franklin County Children Services is one of only a few public county children services boards in Ohio and the nation to be accredited. This accreditation means that Children Services meets rigorous national standards regarding quality of services and sound management practice. In 2008, the Council reaccredited the agency.