Foster Caregivers
Foster caregivers provide a child (or children) with a temporary home until the child can be safely reunited with their family.
We make every effort to work with the family to keep the child in the home. However, in some cases, the child must be separated from their family until the family can stabilize. When a court decides children cannot safely return home, an adoptive home offers them a permanent, stable and loving family.
When children are placed in foster care or adoption, caregivers are responsible for meeting the children’s basic needs. Foster placements and most adoptive placements are eligible for financial support from the agency to assure the needs of these children are met.
Homes are needed for children of all ages. There is always a critical need for homes for school-aged children, sibling groups, emergency care homes, and foster families who will also consider adoption of children of all ages.
Foster homes must be licensed by the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services with recertification taking place every two years. Prospective foster caregivers must pass a criminal background check with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, be over the age of 18, be a renter or homeowner, and hold a stable job.
Adoption
Athens County Children Services adoption team offers families guidance and support throughout their adoption journey. Our team engages with adoptive families by building relationships with all members of the family through monthly home visits and ongoing support.
We work with the adoptive families and children to build and strengthen their family bond, so they have a loving and nurturing home, which all children deserve.
Post-Adoption
Our post-adoption services are available to families who have finalized adoptions. We know that adoptive families can face situations and difficulties in parenting that are different from those experienced by traditional families. That’s why our team includes Post Adoption Caseworkers who are knowledgeable about these issues and can help adoptive families work through them.
The services available to you include:
The Post Adoption Caseworker can also provide support to adoptees who are searching for birth family information and to birth parents whose child has been adopted.
Kinship
Athens County Children Services values preserving families whenever possible. One way this is accomplished is though kinship care. Whether this arrangement is made informally (outside of the CPS system) or formally via a kinship home study and placement (CPS involvement), family placements offer a child more stability, and better overall outcomes for their futures.
For children placed with relatives who are in the custody of Athens County Children Services, the agency offers ongoing support and case management services to those families and children. These services are provided by our Kinship Care workers.
If you are caring for a child and have been granted legal custody, you might be eligible for the KPIP program, which offers a monetary payment to help offset the costs of placement of a child in your home.
Another resource available for caregivers is the Ohio KAN project. This service may help you find other resources available in your area that can help you and the child. Please visit the Ohio KAN website.
Independent Living
Athens County Children Services provides independent living services to youth in agency custody ages 14 and older. Youth will complete a Daniel Memorial assessment and develop independent living plans. If youth remain in agency custody at age 17 or older, then they will also develop transition plans to help prepare them for emancipation.
In this program, we prepare youth to live on their own and function in society to the best of their abilities. Some services include having access to the Life Skills Reimagined program, opportunities to earn independent living stipends, opening savings accounts, and obtaining state IDs.
If youth emancipate from agency custody, they are eligible for voluntary post emancipation services until their 21st birthday. Post emancipation services may include things such as assistance with rent/security deposits, obtaining a driver’s permit or license, and referrals to community resources, including the Bridges Program through ODJFS.