Help for Parents & Caregivers

Current as of:
Father holding and kissing toddler son's cheek

If you are a parent, legal guardian, caregiver, or concerned citizen, this page can connect you to information to help you care for the children or teens in your life.  

Find resources and helpful information to assist with adoption, child abuse and neglect, child care, child support, Head Start, foster care, runaways and other programs for children and youth.

Adoption

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Find basic resources about who can adopt, things to consider before adoption, an explanation of domestic and intercountry adoption, information about maintaining connections with birth families in adoption (also referred to as openness in adoption), home study requirements, finding an agency, adoption by different types of families, and assistance with adoption expenses.

Adoption Assistance, also known as adoption subsidies, provides financial help and services for children with physical, mental and developmental disabilities and their adoptive parents. Each state agency has its own definition of "special needs" used to identify children eligible for adoption assistance.

Child Abuse & Neglect

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ACF provides funds to child abuse prevention programs that provide a multitude of services and supports that can include:

  • Comprehensive support for parents
  • Promote the development of parenting skills
  • Improve family access to formal and informal resources
  • Support needs of parents with disabilities through respite or other activities
  • Provide referrals for early health and development services
  • Promote meaningful parent leadership 

The contact information for each lead agency is located on the state contact page  of the Family Resource Information, Education, and Network Development Service (FRIENDS) website.

Child Care

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When you’re looking for child care, you want to find a program that’s convenient, open when you need it, and within your budget. But most importantly, you need a child care program that makes sure your child is safe, healthy, and learning.

Child Support

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Children thrive when they receive financial, emotional, and medical support from both parents, even when they live in separate households. 

ACF's Office of Child Support Enforcement helps connect families with local child support programs that locate parents, establish paternity, and set child support orders. Whether you’re a mom, dad, or grandparent, learn how child support can be a reliable source of income for your children.

Early Head Start/Head Start

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ACF's Head Start program that promotes the school readiness of children from birth to age five from low-income families by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development in a learning environment that supports their growth. 

Many Head Start programs also provide Early Head Start , which serves infants, toddlers, and pregnant women and their families who have incomes below the federal poverty level.

Fatherhood

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Parents and families are facing new challenges, but one thing hasn’t changed: the importance of dads being involved in their children’s lives. Many fathers are engaging with their children and making a positive impact in their lives.

 

Foster Care

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Foster care (also known as out-of-home care) is a temporary service provided by states for children who cannot live with their families. Children in foster care may live with relatives or with unrelated foster parents. Foster care can also refer to placement settings like group homes, residential care facilities, emergency shelters, and supervised independent living. 

 

Health & Nutrition

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Establishing healthy behaviors and dietary patterns early in life can provide young Americans with the foundation to continue those behaviors throughout later life stages.

Youth

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ACF encourages and empowers youth through a number of programs and initiatives.