Child Welfare
FAMILY/CAREGIVER SUPPORT
Services that address the health and wellbeing - physical, behavioral, social, and economic - of parents, families, and caregivers of young children
IN THIS SECTION
Equity Considerations
Families of color are disproportionately represented in the child welfare system. They are also more likely to have negative experiences, with children of color less likely to be reunited with birth parents and more likely to go through multiple placements rather than finding permanent ones. When considering child welfare, it is important to recognize and address systemic inequities that exist rather than blaming individual parents for their situation. Poverty, lack of mental health support, substance use and misuse, and other environmental and systemic issues can result in families’ engagement with the child welfare system. Addressing these issues is at the heart of ensuring that families can stay together and live healthy lives.
Adoption Services
Adoption is the establishment of a legally recognized, permanent relationship between adoptive parents and adoptee children. It is a social, emotional, and legal process that results in a permanent placement. Ensuring that children have a healthy, happy home is a priority of all parties involved. Adoption can take multiple forms including adoption from foster care, domestic infant adoption, intercountry adoption, and adoption of a stepchild or relative. In Massachusetts there are three types of adoption, all of which require families to work directly with adoption agencies.
The MA Child & Family Services’ Adoption Journeys program offers many post-adoption support services, including a regional response team, support groups, liaisons, and preplanned care & activities. Although adoption from DCF foster care comes at no cost, domestic infant adoption and intercountry adoption may include fees for travel expenses, birth parent expenses, home study services, and post-placement services.
FAMILY/CAREGIVER SUPPORT
Ages
Pre-Birth - 5 years
Usage
Geography
Statewide
Professionals
Social Workers, Counsel, Domestic Violence Specialists, Plans of Safe Care Coordinator, Adoption/Permanency Case Managers
Settings
Homes, Courts, Group Homes, Foster Care, Residential Care Facilitates
Oversight, Guidance, and Regulation
Department of Children & Families
FAMILY/CAREGIVER SUPPORT
Ages
Birth - 5 years
Usage
Geography
Statewide
Professionals
Social Workers, Counsel, Domestic Violence Specialists, Plans of Safe Care Coordinator, Adoption/Permanency Case Managers, Foster Family
Settings
Group Homes, Foster Care, Residential Care Facilitates, Emergency Shelters
Oversight, Guidance, and Regulation
Department of Children & Families
Foster Care
Foster care is a temporary housing/family placement for children who cannot live with their families for a variety of reasons. The goal of foster care is not permanent placement, but a temporary solution that ends once a parent/family is able to care for their child, or a relative, guardian, or adoptive family agrees to raise the child. Children may live with relatives, unrelated foster parents, or be placed in settings such as group homes, residential care facilities, emergency shelters, and supervised independent living.
According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Center, “nearly half of kids who enter the foster care system will return to their parent or primary caretaker.” In 2020, 9,320 children in MA were in foster care, the majority of these children were in a non-relative or relative family home.
