Services
Foster Care Services
Foster Care, also known as "out of home care", is a service provided to youth who have been removed from the care of their parents or other caregivers due to risk or experience of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Youth in out of home care are provided a stable and supportive environment while the issues that led to their removal are addressed or an alternate permanent plan can be made.
Kinship Guardian Assistance Payment (Kin-GAP) Program
The Kin-GAP program prioritizes placement of children with relatives when they have been removed from their home of origin. If the child is unable to reunify with their parents, the relative is asked to become the legal guardian for the child. Children do best when placed with a safe, consistent, caring, appropriate relative when they cannot remain with their parent(s); placing foster children in the care of a relative has been a vital focus of Child Welfare Services. Preferential consideration for the placement of the child is given to a grandparent, aunt, uncle or sibling.
When a relative accepts legal guardianship, they will receive a monthly stipend from the placing County’s Social Services Department to offset expenses associated with caring for and raising the child.
