Family and Children's Services Programs
Family and Children's Services provides services to children who have been abused, neglected, or who are at risk of abuse or neglect. Child welfare services focus on child safety, child and family well-being, and permanent homes for children.
Our first priority is always to keep children safely in their own homes with their parents. If that is not possible, children are placed in foster or relative caregiver homes until their own families can care for them again or they are placed for adoption.
We work collaboratively with many local agencies and community partners to support and strengthen families and keep children safe in Santa Cruz County.
Child Protective Services provides safety and protection for childen who have been physically, sexually, or emotionally abused, neglected or exploited, or are at risk of abuse or neglect.
Foster Care and Adoptions services includes recruitment, training, licensing and support services for foster families and relative caregivers who are matched with children in need of nurturing, stable homes.
Adoptions services are provided to birth parents who are considering placing a child for adoption, and to individuals and couples who seek to become parents or add to their family and provide a stable loving home to a child in need.
The Independent Living Program (ILP) provides educational and vocational opportunities, life-skills training, and support for teens in foster care and former foster youth ages 15-21.
Kinship Care services include recruitment, approval and/or licensing, training and support of relatives or extended family members who provide homes to children in need when their parents cannot care for them.
The Transitional Housing Program Plus (THP Plus) is a supportive housing program serving youth between the ages of 18-24 who have emancipated from foster care or an out-of-home probation placement.