Department of Family Services

CONTACT INFORMATION: Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
703-324-7500 TTY 711
12011 Government Center Parkway, Pennino Building
Fairfax, VA 22035
Michael A. Becketts
Director

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Community Corner

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Welcome to the Department of Family Services' Community Corner. Our weekly newsletter, updated each Wednesday, provides information about upcoming events, parenting and wellness tips, programs and services, and more! Share these helpful posts with your family and friends.

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The Fairfax Area Agency on Aging’s Home Delivered Meals Program is excited to be selected for the Giant Community Bag Program for the month of November!

The Home Delivered Meals program helps provide meals to adults over the age of 60, or adults with a disability, who are homebound and are unable to prepare their own meals. When you shop at Giant Food, 13043 Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy, Fairfax VA during November and buy a $2.75 Community Bag, Giant will donate $1 to the Home Delivered Meals program. Thanks for supporting our program! Learn more about the Home Delivered Meals Program.

Do you need to sign up for Medicare? Medicare 101 Workshops, led by the Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP), are for individuals and their care partners who will soon be eligible for Medicare or have Medicare and would like to learn more about it. Register for a Medicare 101 workshop, offered virtually or in-person. In-person workshops have limited seating. Registration is required. Learn more.

Connect directly with recruiters and take your first step towards a new career, helping those who need it most. Hiring for Caregivers, Housekeeping Positions, CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistants), PCAs (Personal Care Assistants), and Part-time Administrative Positions. Co-hosted by Department of Family Services – Public Assistance and Employment Services and Fairfax County Public Libraries. Register to attend. 

Are you curious about becoming a foster parent? Hundreds of children in Fairfax County need a temporary loving home until they can safely return to their families. Our next virtual information meeting is by invitation only on Thursday, Nov. 6, at 6:45 p.m. Complete this short interest form for prospective parents. For more information check out our website.

During Forensic Nurses Week, we come together to honor the dedicated nurses who deliver compassionate care to patients who have been victims of domestic and sexual violence and strangulation. By celebrating their work, we bring greater awareness to the critical need for forensic nurses and the health consequences of violence. Wear lilac on Friday, November 7, to help us acknowledge these key medical professionals.

This webinar celebrates the importance of family in all its forms. Join a panel including our Social Services Specialist Natalie Sposato, Kerry Graeber with Shineforth, and Faith Spencer the adoptive mother as they share a powerful kinship adoption story. It emphasizes the importance of continuing to explore and re-explore kinship options until permanency is achieved and how adoption and kinship care provide opportunities to reconnect children with love, stability, and belonging. It highlights the resilience of families and the enduring power of relationships to create a foundation where youth can thrive. It begins at 1 p.m. Register here to reserve your spot!   

The Department of Family Services – Employment Services is partnering with Vitae Visual to host the Metro Area Career Fair. There will be 20 employers from different industries available to connect with jobseekers directly. Get free onsite career counseling, as well as workforce presentations! Register here.

Join facilitators from the Parenting Education Programs and the Father Engagement Unit Tuesday, November 18, 6:30 to 8 p.m. to discuss “Parenting in the Hispanic Culture.” The facilitators will lead an open discussion in Spanish about the cross-cultural challenges many parents face when raising their children in a diverse environment. The discussion will explore the common issue of trying to instill respect for Hispanic culture and values while balancing conflicting cultural influences that children encounter through media, peers, etc. Any Fairfax County parents or guardians with children ages 0-18 years old can join through MS Teams. For more information or to preregister, email or call 703-324-7720.

Calling all family caregivers, volunteers that work with older adults, and professionals in aging services! Join us at the largest ongoing dementia conference in the region focused on caregivers hosted by experts in care, the Northern Virginia Dementia Care Consortium. Attend workshops and hear from dementia caregiver professionals to be better prepared to provide care and support at home or in a facility. Visit exhibitors who offer supportive services and connect with other caregivers. The conference runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Register today to reserve your spot.

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CHECK OUT OLDER POSTS!

Everyone is welcome in DFS lobbies, especially our youngest Fairfax residents! Young readers enjoy the DFS Little Libraries that offer free books for all ages at our Human Services Centers. Books are generously donated by Fairfax County libraries and DFS employees. The books keep little hands and minds busy during wait times, and go home with the children to keep spreading joy. Learn more about public assistance and employment services available online and at our office locations.

When a baby girl was born showing signs of withdrawal and testing positive for substances, she was placed in foster care at just seven days old. With her mother homeless and unable to provide stability, the specialists in the Annandale Unit began searching for her father. Once he got over the shock, his fierce response surprised everyone. Learn more.

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Wellness

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newsletter graphicFoster Family News for Current and Potential Fairfax County Foster Parents – November 2025

Our monthly Foster Family Newsletter shares resources and experiences relevant to foster and adoptive parents, children in care, and the resource workers who support them. Check out the November 2025 newsletter. This month we focus on Adoption Awareness Month, children awaiting adoption, and community outreach.

newsletter graphicGolden Gazette Newsletter Covers a Variety of Topics Concerning Older Adults and Caregivers in Fairfax County

Check out the November 2025 Golden Gazette, featuring Rubina Jawiad, who has been a caregiver to Catherine with the support of CARES, Fairfax County’s Adult Foster Care program. You’ll also learn about holiday giving opportunities, how to safeguard your lung health, and more. 

newsletter graphicThe Volunteer Post Newsletter

We have many wonderful volunteers and donors helping children and families in Fairfax County. Our Volunteer Post Newsletter provides a glimpse into the many ways to get involved in making a difference and supporting families in our community. Check out the November 2025 issue to learn about some DFS holiday giving programs, a partnership with Neighborhood and Community Services, and recent program highlights.

newsletter graphicVolunteer Voices Newsletter

What’s the Domestic and Sexual Violence Services volunteer corps doing this month? Find out in the November 2025 Volunteer Voices, where you’ll discover how the division observes Native American Heritage and National Homeless Youth Awareness months, learn about the partnership with Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Language Access program, read a survivor story of loss and hope, familiarize yourself with the steps for holiday giving, and more.

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Department of Family Services logoThe Department of Family Services (DFS) promotes the well-being of the County's diverse community by protecting and improving the lives of children, adults and families through supportive services, education and advocacy.

Fairfax County Health and Human Services LogoThis Department of Family Services agency is a part of the Fairfax County Health & Human Services System (HHS). The HHS System is a network of county agencies and community partners that support the well-being of all who live, work and play in Fairfax County.

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