The Use of Cardinal McCloskey School for Interim Care for Children Awaiting Foster Home Placement at the Catholic Home Bureau
Abstract
“Thus the outstanding characteristics of foster care of children in New York are that though this is a program where the responsibility of public funds predominates, the actual provision of foster care, treatment and supervision becomes a partnership undertaken as between the manifold public and private agencies and institutions which operate in this field and between these units and the children’s courts which have the juridical authority to determine custody, enforce support and the like.” One of the causes leading to the development of this pattern of child care in New York was the fact that the private agencies had a well organized program in effect at the time that the public departments came into existence and it seemed expedient that these facilities be used for public charges instead of setting up others. In New York, the parent requesting placement (unless he is able to pay for the full cost of care) applies at the Department of Welfare where an investigation is made to determine whether placement is indicated and to authorize the acceptance of the child as a public charge. This initial investigation usually consumes a period of from one to three months before referral is made to the private child caring agency Which is to work through placement. Sometimes the child can remain in his own home during this period but more frequently the need for placement is so urgent, because of crises within the family that the child has to receive temporary care in a shelter; These shelters are set up to provide care only for a ninety day period and their facilities and services are predicated on the movement of children within this period. Most of them are located in the city with physical accommodations, play space and activity programs which are necessarily limited. For this reason, the advisability of children remaining in shelters for the sometimes extended period that is necessary to effect permanent plans is questionable. For obvious reasons, children cannot be placed directly in a permanent foster home without observation and study to determine each child’s particular needs. Interim care facilities, therefore, have been created to meet this need for more adequate care of children during this period of study and preparation for foster home placement.
Subject Area
Individual & family studies|Public administration|Social work
Recommended Citation
Horan, Marion F, "The Use of Cardinal McCloskey School for Interim Care for Children Awaiting Foster Home Placement at the Catholic Home Bureau" (1951). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI30509605.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI30509605
