Anyone who suspects a child has been physically, sexually or emotionally abused, or has been neglected (a small child unsupervised, no food, no utilities, etc.) A mandated reporter must report. A mandated reporter is an individual whose occupations puts them into contact with children, such as a teacher, healthcare worker, or psychologist. For a complete list of mandated reporters, please refer to ORC 2151.421.

Licking County Children Services at 740-670-8888 or the Sheriff’s Department at 740-670-5500 after 5:00 pm, on weekends and all legal holidays.

Anytime a report is made, the situation is carefully researched before any action is taken. A social work screener will gather as much information as possible from the reporter: demographics, safety concerns, injuries, observations about the home and family behavior - anything that will help the agency determine the seriousness and risk of the situation. The screener will also check previous history about the family to see if there are any criminal records or previously reported problems. Reports of abuse or neglect that are determined to need a more thorough investigation will result in a personal visit from a social worker . Often, if the allegations concern criminal behavior, a law enforcement officer will team the investigation with the social worker.

No. Your identity will be kept confidential and not released. In accordance with ORC 2151.421, the reporter is protected from any liability if the report of child abuse or neglect was made in good faith.

It is our goal to help families stay together, be safe, learn healthy habits, and become a strong family unit. Even in those situations where a child must be temporarily removed, we work hard to help the family overcome their problems. We create a plan with each family to help them address these concerns. Most families that we see want to improve their situation and are willing to cooperate with their plans.

Children Services is committed to helping families overcome problems and become a stronger, healthier family. Sometimes, however, it is not safe for the child to stay in their home. If the assessment of the social worker determines that the situation is dangerous to the child, then a team meeting is held, often with the family, to make a plan to keep the child safe. If that cannot happen then the court system must become involved. Only a magistrate or a judge can issue an order for the child to be removed. Within one working day, a court hearing is scheduled with all parties in order to determine what is best for the child. If the judge decides it is best for the child to live elsewhere, then the judge can give the agency an emergency form of custody, until the next court hearing. Very often, the child will live with other relatives (Kinship Care), in order to provide a familiar home setting. During the separation time, Children Services works with the parents to create a stable, safe home, so the child may be able to return. While the goal of the agency is to keep families together, it is sometimes not safe to let a child return to their home. Some families simply cannot overcome their problems, despite all the help provided. In those situations, the agency will make a permanent plan for the child.

Foster parents need to be at least 18 years old.

No, you can be legally married or single, as long as there has been no change in marital status for at least one year.

Yes, we have foster parents who are homemakers, who work part-time, and who work full-time. As long as your job allows you flexibility for things like appointments for the children in your home and meetings with the agency staff, you can work full-time.

In order to become a foster parent, you will need to complete 36 hours of

classroom training (this is called preservice training) and a family homestudy.

The homestudy process consists of thorough interviews of family members, paperwork, background checks, and home safety checks. The purpose of the homestudy is to determine whether fostering will work for your family, and if so, what types and ages of foster children would work best with your family.

The preservice training sessions are offered three times a year. The sessions span over a six week period. Once it has been initiated, the homestudy process should be completed within 90-180 days, depending on the number of families being studied.

You can learn more about foster care here: https://fosterandadopt.jfs.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/ofc/