Office of Children, Youth and Families

The Office of Children, Youth and Families (CYF) is required by law to prevent child abuse, neglect and exploitation, preserve families whenever possible, and provide a safe and loving permanent home for children, either by assuring safety within the child’s own family or by finding another permanent setting for children who cannot be safely reunified with their family. 

Office of Children, Youth, and Families Services

CYF focuses on protecting children and supporting families, including: 

• Investigating reports of suspected child abuse or neglect  
• Assessing child safety and family needs  
• Providing in-home services to support families  
• Coordinating foster care and kinship care 
• Providing permanent homes for children through reunification, adoption, and permanent legal custodianship 
• Connecting families to community-based services  

CYF also connects families to supports such as: 

• Parenting support and education
• Behavioral health services
• Substance use treatment
• Housing and basic needs assistance
• Family preservation services
• Services for youth who are aging out of foster care:
  • Youth Support Partners
  • Asset Matching Program

Resources 

Services for Children and Families
Find childcare or food and other essentials and keep kids safe

A Parent's Handbook(PDF, 2MB) | Español(PDF, 2MB)
Provides information on the child welfare system and parental rights and responsibilities while working with CYF

What to Expect on Caseworker Visits(PDF, 286KB)  
Arabic(PDF, 211KB) | French(PDF, 156KB) | Nepali(PDF, 202KB) | Russian(PDF, 248KB) | Spanish(PDF, 158KB) | Swahili(PDF, 159KB) | Uzbek(PDF, 159KB) 
An overview of what someone should expect when a DHS CYF caseworker visits their home