Child Safety is Paramount in the NYC CARES Program
It is crucial to understand that ACS reserves the NYC CARES Program for specific types of reports. Reports alleging serious child abuse or maltreatment, or situations where children face immediate and significant danger, will always be subject to thorough investigation. However, ACS recognizes that many families facing crises or difficulties are genuinely striving to provide the best care for their children. In these circumstances, a full investigation may not be the most effective or supportive first step.
While the NYC CARES Program differs significantly from a traditional investigative approach, it remains fundamentally a child protective response. For professionals within the NYC CARES Program, ensuring child safety is the foremost concern in all interactions with families. Should a CARES professional develop serious concerns about a child’s immediate safety at any point during their engagement with a family, ACS will transition to a formal investigative process to ensure the child’s protection.
Partnership and Family Empowerment at the Heart of NYC CARES
The NYC CARES Program is built upon a foundation of partnership between families and Child Protective Services (CPS). This collaborative spirit is central to the program’s success. Instead of surprise visits, meetings with NYC CARES Program CPS are scheduled in advance, and interviews with family members are conducted in cooperation with the family. The process is distinct from investigations as it does not lead to a formal judgment on whether child maltreatment has occurred.
The NYC CARES Program operates on the understanding that parents inherently want their children to be safe and loved. Sometimes, families need support to achieve this. The NYC CARES Program is designed to provide precisely this kind of help. It is a family-centered and family-led approach, meaning it is tailored to build upon a family’s existing strengths and address their unique needs. Furthermore, the NYC CARES Program is solution-oriented, focusing on connecting families with necessary services that can strengthen their family unit, provide ongoing support, and ultimately prevent future involvement with the child welfare system.
Connecting Families with Essential Supports and Services through NYC CARES
A key function of the NYC CARES Program is to facilitate families’ access to a network of support systems and services, both formal and informal, that can address their specific challenges. This could encompass a wide range of resources, such as enrolling in group parenting classes, accessing mental health services for stress or anxiety, establishing childcare arrangements with neighbors or relatives, finding appropriate after-school activities for teenagers, or utilizing local food banks, such as those run by churches.
The overarching goal of the NYC CARES Program is to empower families to build lasting connections with community services and resources. The intention is that these connections will continue to provide support and stability long after a family’s direct involvement with the NYC CARES Program has concluded, fostering long-term family well-being and resilience.
NYC CARES Program as a Strategy for Racial Equity
The NYC CARES Program is recognized by ACS as a vital component of its broader strategy to address racial disparities within the child welfare system and advance social justice. By offering a collaborative and less intrusive response to families, the NYC CARES Program avoids the inherent biases that can sometimes be present in traditional investigative approaches. Because it does not involve a formal investigation or judgment based on allegations reported to the SCR, participation in and successful completion of the NYC CARES Program ensures that individuals will not have a record of the case that could be accessed by potential employers, promoting equity and opportunity.
Key Facts About the NYC CARES Program
- The Collaborative Assessment, Response, Engagement & Support (CARES) approach, known in NYC as the NYC CARES Program, is also referred to as Family Assessment Response (FAR), Differential Response, Alternative Response, Multiple Response, Dual-Track, or Multi-Track Response in different contexts and locations.
- The NYC CARES Program operates entirely outside of the court system; there is no court involvement throughout the process.
- The Family Assessment Response (FAR) approach, of which NYC CARES is an implementation, was officially established as a permanent option for local social service districts across New York State through Chapter 45 of the Laws of 2011.
- The CARES approach has been successfully implemented in various counties throughout New York State and is also practiced in other states across the United States, demonstrating its broad applicability and effectiveness.
- The NYC CARES Program originated in New York City with the Queens FAR Pilot program launched in 2013, highlighting New York City’s pioneering role in adopting this innovative approach to child welfare.
