Social Work

Adult & Aging

This unit is made up of numerous programs including CAP/DA, In-Home Services, Respite, State In-Home, Special Assistance In-Home, At-Risk and nutrition services. These programs are provided to assist adults and enable them to remain in their homes. This unit also contains Adult Protective Services, which evaluates reports of abuse, neglect and exploitation on disabled adults. Partnership with Mid-East Commission Area Agency on Aging

Child Protective Services (CPS)

Child Protective Services is made up of Child Protective Services Team One and Team Two. Each Team consists of 6 workers each whose responsibilities are to assess reports of child abuse, neglect, and dependency.

Foster Care & Adoptions

Foster care is a temporary substitute care provided to abused, neglected and dependent children who need a safe place to live when their parents or another relative cannot take care of them. Foster Families are recruited, trained and licensed to care for abused and neglected children temporarily, while their parents work with social work professionals to resolve their family issues. Relatives may be licensed as foster parents. The length of stay in foster care varies from a few days to much longer.

Adoption

Adoption is the method provided by law to establish the legal relationship of parent and child between persons who are not so related by birth, with the same mutual rights and obligations that exist between children and their birth parents. The primary purpose of adoption is to help children whose parents are incapable of assuming or continuing parental responsibilities to become parent of a new family.

Foster Parent Orientation

Although, our foster home numbers continue to increase, there are times a child may have a special need or circumstance. Beaufort County Department of Social Services is hoping to have a home available so that need can be met within the child's community.

The agency's goal is to provide a placement that will best meet the need of each child/sibling group in foster care. To maintain this goal, licensed foster homes must be available, even if there is not a current need. Special circumstances include homes that are willing to accept teenage boys and girls, teenage mothers, or actively participate in therapy with children that have therapeutic needs. Please note that shared parenting is not optional, but mandatory according to state policy.

The Foster Care and Adoptions Unit is on a campaign to continue to increase our numbers of dedicated and reliable Beaufort County licensed foster homes. We need your assistance.

View the Steps and Processes of Foster Home Licensing (PDF).

One of our recruitment plans is to speak to as many groups and individuals as possible, telling them about the rewards of making a difference in a child's life through foster care and adoptions. Our presentation can last as little as 5 minutes if necessary!!

We are asking you to think about individuals or groups who would be open to our talk. We would love to speak with church groups/congregations, garden clubs, social groups, ball team mothers, scouts, or any other group of people. We are available anytime- week days, evenings and even on the weekends. Just give us a name and contact information- we will do the rest.

Join Our Team

We invite you to join our team! We are asking for your support to help us provide safe and nurturing homes for the children in Beaufort County. If you are interested in supporting us in other ways such as financial contributions or volunteering your time and services, please let us know. Thanks in advance for your time and thoughtfulness.

Prospective foster parents are asked to complete an online orientation before enrolling in Model Approach to Partnership in Parenting (MAPP) Training Foster Parent Orientation. This orientation covers many basic issues that will assist individuals in making decisions about becoming licensed foster parents in North Carolina.

For more information on these programs and how to apply for them or how to file a APS report, CPS report, or how to foster a child please visit our FAQs page.