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Department of Human Services

Working together with communities to support families and protect children.

Department of Human Services

Notice: The Department of Human Services is working to support Philadelphia’s children and families during COVID-19. View our updated policies, guidance, and resources.

What we do

Philadelphia’s Department of Human Services is the county child welfare and juvenile justice agency and is overseen by the Office of Children and Families. Our mission is to provide and promote safety, permanency, and well-being for children and youth at risk of abuse, neglect, and delinquency. Our main service areas include:

  • Prevention. We work with families to safely care for children in their own home to reduce child abuse and neglect.
  • Child Welfare. We operate Philadelphia’s child abuse hotline, investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect, and help children involved with DHS achieve a permanent home. We manage the private organizations (Community Umbrella Agencies) that provide case management and other support services in 10 geographic regions throughout Philadelphia.
  • Foster and Adoption. We contract with state-licensed agencies who certify homes as placements for children and youth who are not safe in their own homes. The goal of foster care is to reunite children with their families. When this is not possible, as determined by the courts, many resource parents choose to adopt the children who are in their care. Find out how to become a foster parent and how to adopt a child.
  • Juvenile Justice. We operate the county’s juvenile detention facility, manage contracts for court-ordered youth programs, and work to divert youth from the formal justice system through intensive prevention services.

Connect

Address
1515 Arch St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Email dhscommunications@phila.gov
Phone: (215) 683-4347 for information
(215) 683-6000 for complaints
Social

Announcements

We hire year round!

The Philadelphia Department of Human Services is committed to supporting the placement stability of children and youth in the foster care and the juvenile justice systems. As part of this commitment, DHS regularly releases job announcements on the main phila.gov/jobs webpage to support our hiring efforts. Please either apply for an open position or sign up for job alerts. Please share these announcements with your networks.

Class Code Class Title Open Close Starting Salary Application Link
5A05 Social Work Services Trainee (General) (Bilingual) 4/17/2023 4/28/2024 $44,467 Application link.
5A07 Social Work Services Manager 2 (General) (Bilingual) 4/17/2023 4/28/2024 $58,316 Application link.

 

RSVP Today: Fostering Pride

Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and happy environment. Foster Pride invites you to learn about the resources and services that Philadelphia offers to support and empower LGBTQ+ youth. Learn more here.

Events

  • Oct
    5
    Fostering Pride
    5:30 pm to 7:00 pm
    Mazzoni Center - Bainbridge, 1348 Bainbridge St, Philadelphia, PA 19147, USA

    Fostering Pride

    October 5, 2023
    5:30 pm to 7:00 pm, 2 hours
    Mazzoni Center - Bainbridge, 1348 Bainbridge St, Philadelphia, PA 19147, USA
    map

    Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and happy environment. Please join us for Fostering Pride.

    Fostering Pride invites you to learn about the resources and services that Philadelphia offers to support and empower LGBTQ+ youth. Please RSVP here by Wednesday, September 27.

    In addition, at Fostering Pride, we will explore the many ways being a resource parent for LGBTQ+ youth can change lives—theirs as well as yours! Resource parents will be on hand to share how the experience can be an extremely fulfilling and life-changing experience for you—and can mean the difference between a future of challenges and one paved with opportunity and achievement for the young person nurtured by your mentorship, caring, and love.

     

    Event highlights will also include a Q&A session with DHS representatives and a panel discussion led by:

    • Luis Santiago Sobrado, DHS Operations Director, Policy Development and System Enhancement—moderator
    • Ebony Ali, S.P.L.A.T. Manager, Galaei
    • Sultan Shakir, President, Mazzoni Center
    • Ellie Waserman, Director of Life Skills, The Attic Youth Center
    • Katrina Clark, Resource Parent

    Light refreshments and snacks will be served.

    THE EVENT IS FREE, AND REGISTRATION IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED.

Our programs

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