Catholic Social Services Parenting Programs
Catholic Social Services supports parents and children through various programs to help them utilize the assistance they need to grow. Our Family Service Centers, located throughout the Philadelphia region offer resources, classes and other programs to support parents and children.
Family Service Centers are the first point of contact for individuals, families, and parishes when they seek assistance from Catholic Social Services. Five centers are located throughout the five-county metropolitan area. Our family service centers offer support and prenatal care and assistance to either those choosing adoption or those choosing to start their family. Our social service centers provide intake and assessment for individuals and families to assist them in accessing benefits and services. Emergency assistance includes clothing cupboards and food pantries, rent or utility bill assistance, housing referrals, and case management.
Mercy Hospice of Catholic Social Services is a residential program for women in recovery. Our 31-bed program welcomes single women and mothers with children. Mercy Hospice provides a safe, supportive, and sober environment that allows women to focus on their recovery. Women receive case management services as well as training and assistance in developing life skills, parenting skills, job readiness, and preparation for independent living.
Out of School Time Programs are school-based community centers that offer an array of creative after-school activities in the late afternoon aimed at youth development and family support. These programs are in neighborhoods with high poverty and crime rates and significant child welfare problems. Rooted in Catholic faith, Programs are educational, social, and recreational in nature, and serve school-aged children and adolescents from the community.
Casa del Carmen Preschool Academy, a Keystone Stars 4 childcare facility, offers the highest standard of education for 89 young learners in a safe and caring educational environment.
We understand the unique needs of families searching for high-quality preschool programs in North Philadelphia. Our bilingual staff helps ensure the needs of our children and parents are understood and met.
Catholic Community Services Community Umbrella Agency (CUA #4) is a community-based organization that manages child welfare cases formerly maintained by The Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS). As part of Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, we provide services to families and their children in their home, in placement or a combination while operating within the foundation and framework of a Catholic organization. As a DHS sponsored agency, we are the presence of DHS in the community in their move to decentralize the provision of direct case management services through a network of Community Umbrella Agencies that demonstrates the capacity and ability to provide child protection and child welfare services that are based within the community.
Ginger Smith, Community Liaison
The Fatima Outreach Center, located in Bensalem, PA, provides assistance and support for individuals new to this country. We offer social work and community immigration resources, accompaniment, Domestic Violence Advocacy, seasonal ESL (English Second Language) classes, interpretation services, gardening and arts programs, financial education, immigration legal services and more. Fatima Outreach Center is a parish-based ministry in partnership with Catholic Social Services.
Catholic Social Services (CSS) provides foster and kinship care services to children between birth and 21 years of age who are in need of a temporary substitute care, due to a crisis or chronic condition. The goal of the program is to achieve permanency for children in the briefest amount of time, which allows for safety, wellbeing and preventing children from a return to care.
All resource family care service is delivered with a view toward the earliest possible return of the child to the birth family. While the child is in substitute care, the Community Umbrella Agency (CUA) involves the birth family in all levels of care and planning.
All resource families are encouraged to establish a mentoring relationship with the child’s family. This relationship will help to support the child and family’s bond while the child is placed in out-of-home care.
CSS staff support the permanency planning process by providing training and education to the resource parent so that they have the requisite skills to assist the child through the reunification process or if reunification is not possible, help the child transition as they move toward another permanency. This permanency may include adoption by the resource family.
The requirements to become a foster parent include:
- Must be at least 21 years old.
- Must have a safe, stable residence with appropriate furnishings.
- Must be healthy enough to provide care for children.
- Must be able to pass criminal, child abuse and FBI background checks.
- Must be able to complete the home study process.
- Must be able to provide support to children and their families.