Foster Care, Adoptions, and Licensing

Foster Care, Adoptions, and Licensing Unit
Foster Care is temporary substitute care for children that cannot remain safely in their home as determined by the Court. If the Department of Social Services (DSS) believes that a child is abused, neglected, or dependent and is unsafe in his/her home, DSS will file a petition in Court and ask the Court for temporary custody of the child. If the Court grants custody to DSS, the child is placed in foster care. The length of time a child stays in foster care varies greatly from just a few days to a year or more.

Once a child is placed in foster care, a Social Worker is assigned to work with the family to correct the conditions that led to the child's removal from the home. Our primary goal is to reunify the child with his/her family. When that is not possible, we look for other permanent arrangements for the child such as custody or guardianship to a relative or other court approved caretaker or Adoption. Foster Care Social Workers assess the child and family for their strengths and needs and develop a service plan with them to begin the process of assisting the family make the necessary changes to ensure child safety. The Court is involved throughout the life of a foster care case, as the case is brought before the Court for regular reviews. Social Workers work with the child and family, any identified family/ kin supports, and a variety of community resources to achieve safety and permanence for children in foster care.

Children in foster care may be placed in a variety of settings, depending on his/her needs. Placement options include: DSS licensed foster home, a relative or kinship provider, a therapeutic foster home, or a group home or other institution. Our preference is to place children in kinship care but when that is not possible, a DSS licensed foster home is our preferred option.

DSS Family Foster Homes are trained and supervised by Hoke County DSS, but are licensed by the State of North Carolina. We usually offer the required foster parent training (Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting MAPP) twice a year, in the Spring and in the Fall. Hoke County DSS is always in need of family foster homes. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a DSS licensed foster parent, please call the Department at 910-875-8725 and ask to speak to a foster home licensing Social Worker or direct dial our licensing Social Worker Nickkia McIntyre at 910-878-1989. In order to be a foster parent you must visit this link view the video and print the certificate to provide to the licensing social worker to begin the licensing process.

Adoption Services include finding approved adoptive families for children in foster care and conducting Pre-Placement Assessments (adoption home study) on families wanting to adopt a child from foster care. For more information on foster care adoption, please call our adoption Social Worker, Nickkia McIntyre at 910-878-1989.