Children, Youth and Families

Client Services: 703-324-7500; TTY 703-222-9452

The Children, Youth and Families programs are designed to enable children to live safely in families, to ensure that families remain safely together whenever possible, to protect children from harm and prevent abuse and neglect, and to ensure the normal development and long-term emotional and physical health of children by supporting families who provide for them.

Through Virginia's Comprehensive Services Act, the Department of Family Services is able to access funding for purchased services for youth who have, or are at risk of having, severe emotional or behavioral difficulties.

Programs and services include:

• Adoption Services: 703-324-7639
  Placement services; adoption counseling for birth parents; post-adoption services for families of children with special needs (such as older children, sibling groups and children with emotional or behavioral difficulties).
  
• Child Protective Services: 703-324-7400
  Investigation /assessment in response to valid complaints of child abuse and neglect and support services for families at risk. The HOTLINE (703-324-7400 (24 hours) or TTY: 703-222-9452) receives reports of suspected abuse and neglect and requests for guidance; and provides referrals to counseling, resources and support services.
  
• Family Preservation Services: 703-324-7500
  Intensive and comprehensive assessment and case management services for families to prevent child abuse, neglect and out-of-home placement of children.
  
• Foster Care: 703-324-7639
  Placement and supervision of abused, neglected or dependent children and youth (from infancy to age 18) who have been temporarily separated from their parents and placed in the legal custody of Family Services.
  
• Housing
  • Emergency Housing: 703-222-0880
    Temporary emergency shelter and social services for homeless county residents.
    
  • Partnership for Permanent Housing: 703-385-3267, TTY 711
    An innovative, five-year pilot project to help 25 homeless families with children under age 18 become self-sufficient, secure permanent housing, and eventually own their own homes.
  • Project HOMES: Sponsorship of homeless families by nonprofit organizations and faith communities to help secure permanent housing for those formerly homeless.
    
  • Transitional Housing: Intensive case management services and temporary housing for homeless families for up to 24 months with the goal of breaking the cycle of homelessness and achieving self-suffiency.
    
• Child Abuse Prevention Programs: 703-324-7720
  These programs focus on preventing child abuse and neglect through family strengthening and parenting education in community-based settings.
  
  Programs include:
  
  • BeFriend-A-Child: Adult volunteer mentors are matched with children who need positive attention and role models.
  • BeFriend-A-Parent: Adult volunteer mentors, trained and supported by DFS staff, coach DFS clients and work together on parenting and personal needs and skills.
  • Blue Ribbon Campaign to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect: A year-round public awareness campaign, in partnership with the community, to support families and help keep children safe from neglect and abuse.
  • Early Intervention Strategy Team: Human Services professionals conduct staff training and multi-agency staff meetings conducted to prevent the need for foster care among African-American families with children ages birth to six.
  • Family Resource Centers: Drop-in neighborhood centers with programs and services to strengthen families; technical assistance to community groups wanting to form their own centers.
  • Healthy Families Fairfax: Intensive home-visiting services to new parents to ensure the child's healthy birth and development and enhance family functioning.
  • Nurturing Parenting Program®: Group, community-based classes to teach parenting skills to strengthen and promote healthy family relationships and family functioning; program reaches parents, adolescents and children simultaneously.
  • Good Touch/Bad Touch ®: Child abuse prevention curriculum designed to teach children special skills they need to stay safe. Teaches children to prevent sexual abuse, deal with bullies, and effectively handle sad or angry feelings.