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Children Services
Union County Children Services is a public, child protective services agency. Our main focus is child safety. We work with community partners to protect children from abuse and neglect and to engage families in the process of helping to safely parent their children. Child protection is a community responsibility and communities must respond strategically to children who are in danger of abuse or neglect working with families at the first sign of a problem. Resources should be coordinated through combined efforts with community partners and families.
We are committed to the well-being of children and their families. Our responsibilities encompass a wide range of services, including assistance to families working to stay safely together or be reunited, foster care, youth and young adults transitioning from foster care to independence, and adoption.
More Information
TO REPORT ABUSE/NEGLECT: If you believe a child has been abused or neglected, please contact Union County Children Services. Reports may be made by calling our abuse and neglect hotline at 937.644.1010 or in person at 940 London Avenue, Suite 1800, Marysville, Ohio 43040, weekdays from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. To make an emergency report after regular business hours, on weekends or holidays, please contact the Union County Sheriff's Office at 937.645.4100 and ask for the on-call social worker.
Union County Human Services (UCHS) is seeking proposals for vendors to provide Family Peer Mentoring Services and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) assessment services for families involved with UCHS Children Services. The contract period is January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025. The deadline for RFP submission is November 15, 2024 at 5:00 PM EST. No late submissions will be accepted. Please visit the RFP page for more information.
Union County Human Services (UCHS) is seeking proposals for vendors to provide Parent Education Services for families involved with UCHS Children Services. The contract period is January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025. The deadline for RFP submission is November 15, 2024 at 5:00 PM EST. No late submissions will be accepted. Please visit the RFP page for more information.
How Does Children Services Help Families
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.
When does a child need removed from the home?
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 by 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 be involved.
Only a magistrate or judge can issue an order for a 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 emergency 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 provide a stable, safe home so that 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.
