Department of Family Services – Children and Families

Fairfax County, Virginia

CONTACT INFORMATION: Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

703-324-7500
TTY 711

DFSinfo@fairfaxcounty.gov

12011 Government Center Parkway, Pennino Building
Fairfax, VA 22035

Oriane Eriksen,
Director

Department Resources

Related Resources

Children, Youth and Families - Community Engagement Toolkit

Children, Youth and Families Staying Safe at Home During COVID-19, Keeping Child Abuse Victims Safe During COVID-19 graphic banner

The Department of Family Services' Children, Youth and Families (CYF) includes programs designed to protect children from harm, prevent child abuse and neglect, support families and help them remain together safely for the long-term emotional and physical health of the children.

Use this community engagement toolkit (talking points, social media and more) to help spread the word throughout the community about CYF's work and services available during COVID-19.

Social Media Tip: It's more effective to post a message with a graphic.

In Facebook posts, please tag us @FairfaxCountyFamilyServices. This helps people to quickly and conveniently connect with us.

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Talking Points

If you're using any of the talking points in Facebook posts, please tag us @FairfaxCountyFamilyServices. This helps people to quickly and conveniently connect with us.

In the midst of this outbreak of COVID-19, many families find themselves facing many of the risk factors for child abuse and neglect including parental stress, economic instability, food insecurity, lack of adequate child care, and lack of normal routines. Those stressors are exacerbated by families being confined to close quarters for an extended period of time.

With schools and many child care providers closed, children and families are out of contact with mandated reporters such as teachers, counselors and child-care providers. We are seeing dramatic decreases in calls to the Child Protective Services’ (CPS) Hotline due to school personnel being our largest reporters of child abuse and neglect. CPS Hotline calls decreased from the norm of 468 in the first week of March to only 60 in the first week of April 2020. This has led to fewer new CPS referrals and fewer children entering foster care.

Every child deserves to grow up in a supportive, stable and nurturing environment. Right now, the community must step in to keep eyes on children in your neighborhood, as many of the normal child protective factors are not in place during this crisis. If you have questions or concerns about a child’s safety, call the Child Protective Services’ (CPS) 24-hour hotline at 703-324-7400. Fairfax County's CPS hotline workers can also provide families with help, guidance, and referrals to supportive services.

We want parents to know YOU ARE NOT ALONE during this challenging time. That is why @FairfaxCountyFamilyServices created a NEW Parent Support Line to help you with any of your parenting needs. Staff can help with parenting advice, support, and tips to help navigate emotional and relational parenting issues. Talk to a live person ready to help you at 703-324-7720, or email BuildingStrongerFamilies@fairfaxcounty.gov, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

The county and our prevention partners offer valuable supportive services for families such as parenting and fathering classes, parent and teen support groups, online parenting videos, teen centers, and mentoring opportunities. Parenting Education classes have moved to a virtual platform. About 70% of the families who were enrolled are choosing to continue, while the remainder deferred to classes that will be held later in the year. We have multiple classes currently running in both English and Spanish. https://bit.ly/2RUcTxy

Messages - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Social Media Tip: It's more effective to post a message with a graphic.

Follow these quick and easy steps to copy a message and post it along with one of the graphics.

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Paste the text into your post.

In Facebook posts, please tag us @FairfaxCountyFamilyServices. This helps people to quickly and conveniently connect with us.

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We want parents to know YOU ARE NOT ALONE during this challenging time. That is why the @FairfaxCountyFamilyServices created a NEW Parent Support Line to help you with any of your parenting needs. Talk to a live person ready to help you at 703-324-7720, or email BuildingStrongerFamilies@fairfaxcounty.gov, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For more ways that we are providing parenting Assistance from a Distance, visit. https://bit.ly/2RUcTxy #BuildingStrongerFamilies

The new DFS Parent Support Line is a great resource for parents and caregivers of children. Staff can help with parenting advice, support, and tips to help navigate emotional and relational parenting issues. Call 703-324-7720, or BuildingStrongerFamilies@fairfaxcounty.gov Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For more ways that we are providing parenting Assistance from a Distance, visit. https://bit.ly/2RUcTxy #BuildingStrongerFamilies

Join our Virtual Parent Cafés. Connect with other parents to discuss topics such as discipline, self-care, and family rules. Mondays, 7:45-9:15 p.m. To register, email ParentingEducation@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-324-7720. To learn more about the Virtual Cafés and other resources from our Parenting Education Programs visit https://bit.ly/2RUcTxy #BuildingStrongerFamilies

Fairfax County Department of Family Services is here for you and continues to provide 𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚. Access these 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻, 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 without having to leave home: Child Protective Services (CPS) 703-324-7400; Parent Support Line 703-324-7720; resource hotlines; virtual classes and support; online tips and videos; kinship support; and more. Learn more and share with others: https://bit.ly/2RUcTxy #DFSHereForYou

Wondering if your child may be ready to be home alone? County guidelines have been developed by social work professionals in collaboration with the community to help with that decision. http://bit.ly/2GfRkQ1 #BuildingStrongerFamilies #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices

Twitter and Instagram

County guidelines for determining when your child is ready to be left unsupervised. http://bit.ly/2GfRkQ1

Our Dept of Family Services is offering a Parent Café, each Monday evening from 7:30-8:30. Parents can connect with each other to process through and share different strategies. https://bit.ly/2RUcTxy

The Parent Support Line from Fairfax Co Dept of Family Services is a great resource! Receive parenting advice, support, & tips to help navigate emotional & relational parenting issues. Language support is available. Call 703-324-7720, M-F, 8 am-4:30 pm. https://bit.ly/2RUcTxy

Parent Support Line - Graphics - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Graphics

Follow these quick and easy steps to download a file to your computer:

Click on the graphic.
After it opens, right-click on the graphic and select to save the file.

In Facebook posts, please tag us @FairfaxCountyFamilyServices. This helps people to quickly and conveniently connect with us.

Parent Support Line - English

Parent Support Line - Spanish

Virtual Parent Cafés - Graphics - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Graphics

Follow these quick and easy steps to download a file to your computer:

Click on the graphic.
After it opens, right-click on the graphic and select to save the file.

In Facebook posts, please tag us @FairfaxCountyFamilyServices. This helps people to quickly and conveniently connect with us.

Virtual Parent Cafés - English

Virtual Parent Cafés - African American Culturally Focused - English

Virtual Parent Cafés - Spanish

Messages - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Social Media Tip: It's more effective to post a message with a graphic.

Follow these quick and easy steps to copy a message and post it along with one of the graphics.

Highlight the text.
Right-click and select copy.
Paste the text into your post.

In Facebook posts, please tag us @FairfaxCountyFamilyServices. This helps people to quickly and conveniently connect with us.

Facebook

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿, 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿, 𝗻𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲? If so, you are a 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁. If you have any reason to suspect a child has been abused or neglected, you are required to make a report through the 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝟳𝟬𝟯-𝟯𝟮𝟰-𝟳𝟰𝟬𝟬. DFS has created a 𝘁𝗶𝗽 𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. Learn more: https://bit.ly/39U1cgt

According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻. A majority of the 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗰ei𝘃𝗲𝗱 at the sexual assault hotline were from 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 - 𝟲𝟳% of callers identified their perpetrator as a family member and 𝟳𝟵% said they were living with that perpetrator. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽? If you have any reason to suspect a child has been abused or neglected, make a report through the 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝟳𝟬𝟯-𝟯𝟮𝟰-𝟳𝟰𝟬𝟬.

𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿
Many are “staying home to save lives,” but 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲. For victims of 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲 and 𝗲𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲, the isolation and stress of being trapped at home with their offenders puts them at 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺. Now more than ever, 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿. Learn more and 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 with others: https://bit.ly/2VDw9lf #DFSHereForYou

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Check out these resources to 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘂𝘀 (𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵). Learn more and share this information with others: https://bit.ly/2Jkp6GS #FFXCOVID

Every child deserves to grow up in a supportive, stable and nurturing environment So, if you have questions or concerns about a child’s safety, call the Child Protective Services’ 24-hour hotline at 703-324-7400. https://bit.ly/2Jkp6GS #FFXCOVID

Resources to help families manage their stress, cope with the crisis and support their children through the outbreak of COVID-19. Share with those you love. https://bit.ly/2Jkp6GS #FFXCOVID #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices

In times of crisis, the community can help turn a watchful eye and a listening ear toward children and their families. If you have questions or concerns about a child’s safety, call the Child Protective Services’ 24-hour hotline at 703-324-7400. https://bit.ly/2Jkp6GS

If you have questions or concerns about a child’s safety, call the Child Protective Services’ 24-hour hotline at 703-324-7400. The CPS Hotline can provide families with help, guidance, and referrals to supportive services. https://bit.ly/2Jkp6GS #FFXCOVID #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices

For resources on keeping your family safe, and on how to report suspected abuse, visit https://bit.ly/2Jkp6GS

Graphics - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Social Media Tip: It's more effective to post a message with a graphic.

Graphics

Follow these quick and easy steps to download a file to your computer:

Click on the graphic.
After it opens, right-click on the graphic and select to save the file.

In Facebook posts, please tag us @FairfaxCountyFamilyServices. This helps people to quickly and conveniently connect with us.

Assistance from a Distance - Children, Youth and Families

Staying Safe at Home - Keeping Child Abuse Victims Safe During COVID-19

Possible Signs of Child Abuse or Neglect - Not Sure About Reporting Child Abuse or Neglect?

Mandated Reporter Tip Sheet

Articles

Has COVID-19 Put Children at Risk in Their Own Homes?

In the midst of this outbreak of COVID-19, many families find themselves facing many of the risk factors for child abuse and neglect. Learn about additional resources that can help families manage their stress, cope with the crisis and understand how to support their children during this challenging time.

With many of the normal child protective factors not in place during this crisis, the community must step in to keep eyes and ears on children in your neighborhood. If you have questions or concerns about a child’s safety, call the Child Protective Services’ 24-hour Hotline 703-324-7400.

We All Need to Help Protect Children During Covid-19

COVID-19 has turned everyone’s lives upside down. The isolation has caused many families to lose their support networks, which has been especially stressful for families with children. As a result, some children may be at higher risk of harm. Others may not be safe because there isn’t a responsible adult who can watch or take care of them. Learn more about what to consider if you suspect child abuse, how to make a report, and resources to help.

Mandated Reporter Tips for Mandatory Reporters for Child Abuse and Neglect

Are you a teacher, social worker, child care provider, nurse? If so, you are a mandatory reporter for child abuse and neglect. If you have any reason to suspect a child has been abused or neglected, you are required to make a report through the Child Protective Services (CPS) Hotline. DFS has created a tip sheet for mandatory reporters.

Parent Café Provides Community of Support

Virtual Parent Cafés are a great way for parents to learn from each other as they grow in their parenting skills. All Parent Cafés are open to Fairfax County parents or guardians with children ages 0-18 years old. Join us on Mondays 7:45-9:15 p.m. for English speakers and Wednesdays 7-8:30 p.m. for Spanish-speaking families. Please email or call us at 703-324-7720 to register at least one business day before the Parent Café. Learn more about how Virtual Parent Cafés provide a community of support to parents.

What If I Contract COVID-19 and I’m Too Sick to Care for My Child?

Many parents are isolated from the friends, family and child care supports they usually turn to. As scary as it might be to think about, it's critical for parents to make a crisis plan now in case they become too sick to care for their children or unable to ask for support. DFS offers steps you can take to develop a plan:
- Decided on a safe person to care for your child.
- Communicate your plan.
- Do your best to stay healthy.
- Stay informed.
Learn more about these steps to prepare.

Is Your Child Ready to Be Home Alone?

Taking on more responsibility is a huge part of growing up. So how do you know if your child is responsible enough to be home alone, even if only for a few hours? Our DFS parenting experts offer some guidance.

Department Resources

Related Resources