Removing a child from their home is one of the most extreme interventions in child welfare. Separation is traumatic, and Children’s Aid works tirelessly to avoid it. Through our preventive programs, 99% of families are able to stay safely together with the right supports.
But there are moments when a child is facing significant instability at home, and foster care becomes the safest option. In those situations, children need stability right away. Children’s Aid places them with caring foster families—often in their own neighborhoods—who can offer safety, consistency, and compassion during an incredibly vulnerable time.
Our foster care programs serve young people with a wide range of needs. Some require short-term support while their parents work toward greater stability and reunification. Others need specialized homes with highly trained foster parents who can respond to chronic medical conditions, developmental needs, or the effects of trauma. In every case, foster parents partner closely with our clinicians, case managers, and health providers to ensure children receive the care they deserve.
A 170-year commitment to protecting children
For more than 170 years, Children’s Aid has held a simple belief: children do best in families, not institutions. Today, 500–600 young people of all ages live in safe, nurturing homes through our foster care programs, surrounded by caregivers who know them and communities that feel familiar.
Every child in our care has access to the full strength of our services—counseling, medical and behavioral health care, academic support, and enrichment opportunities that help them grow with confidence and purpose.
Strengthening families—with hope for reunification
Most parents want to reunite with their children. Our role is to help them get there. We offer comprehensive support—including counseling, parenting guidance, employment and housing assistance, and interventions to break cycles of trauma—to help families build the stability needed to safely come back together.
When reunification is not possible, we work with adoptive families who can provide children with lifelong love, understanding, and a sense of belonging. Matching each child with the right permanent home is at the heart of our work.
