The Child & Family Services division of the Norfolk Department of Human Services is composed on several units to better service the city of Norfolk.  Please choose a link below that best suits the your needs.

To learn more about this division of Human Services, please watch a selection of our agency video, People Helping People.

Foster Care & Adoption - Foster Care is a program that provides services, substitute care, and supervision for a child on a 24-hour basis until the child can return to his or her family or be placed in an adoptive home or another permanent placement. All local departments of social services provide foster care. Adoption provides children who are unable to be raised by their biological parents the chance to become permanent legal members of another family while maintaining genetic and psychological connections to their birth family.

Child Protective Services - Reports of abuse and neglect of children under the age of 18 are investigated with the goal of protecting children from physical, mental and medical neglect, and from physical and sexual abuse and exploitation.  Services are also provided to prevent and alleviate family crises.

Family Preservation - This unit of Human Services provides intense, specific services to families who may be experiencing a family crisis.  All families can benefit from information, guidance, and help in connecting with resources as they attempt to meet the challenge of parenthood and everyday family life.  Family Preservation services work toward strengthening family life and supporting the ongoing protection children.

Juvenile Detention - The Norfolk Juvenile Detention Center is a secure facility which houses juveniles who are ordered detained pursuant to the Code of Virginia.

Court Liaison Team - Human Services provides both pre-adjudication and post-adjudication services and programs for youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Services for males are provided contractually at a local group home. Services for females are provided contractually through family oriented group homes. Services in each program include: food, shelter, basic medical services, individual, group and family counseling, and recreation.