Schenectady County Department of Social Services Foster Care

05/18/2026

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Stop by our Foster Care Awareness Event on 5/28! Learn more about becoming a foster parent, have dinner and games with the family and connect with some of our community partners!

Schenectady Police Department will be present to Car Seat Safety Checks.

SCAP’s Early Learning Center will be there to share info about the programs available to our kids & families

Schenectady County Public Library STARS Program will be there with some free books to hand out to the kids and info about their upcoming summer programs.

08/21/2025

08/21/2025

Join us or spread the word about our next informational session! There are two info sessions left before our next training class starts on 10/2!

05/23/2025

Do you have a nurturing heart and a gift for emotional support?
You might be exactly who a child in Schenectady County needs.

We’re seeking foster parents who can offer warmth, stability, and emotional safety to children navigating incredibly difficult transitions.

These kids don’t need you to have all the answers. They need someone who will listen, validate their feelings, and create a space where they can begin to trust again.

If you’re the kind of person who leads with empathy and loves with intention, consider opening your heart and home.

Every safe hug, kind word, and steady presence matters.
Start your journey here: schenectadyfosters.org

05/19/2025

Do you believe one person can make a difference?
We do too.

Schenectady County is seeking foster parents who have a strong sense of purpose—people who believe in showing up, staying consistent, and changing lives one day at a time.

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to believe that your actions matter—and be willing to put that belief into practice with patience, love, and commitment.

Because when you believe in your ability to make a difference,
a child begins to believe in themselves too.

Ready to take the first step?
schenectadyfosters.org

05/19/2025

Do you have a nurturing heart and a gift for emotional support?
You might be exactly who a child in Schenectady County needs.

We’re seeking foster parents who can offer warmth, stability, and emotional safety to children navigating incredibly difficult transitions.

Our children don’t need you to have all the answers. They need someone who will listen, validate their feelings, and create a space where they can begin to trust again.

If you’re the kind of person who leads with empathy and loves with intention, consider opening your heart and home.

Every safe hug, kind word, and steady presence matters.
Start your journey here: Schenectadyfosters.org

CODE BLUE: Schenectady County has declared Code Blue in effect as temperatures are forecasted below freezing. View Code Blue Shelters

05/13/2025

We’re not looking for perfect. We’re looking for patient.
We’re not asking for experience. We’re asking for heart.

Schenectady County is in need of foster parents who are patient, attuned, and deeply committed to supporting children through some of life’s most vulnerable moments.

Many of these children have experienced trauma. They don’t need heroes—they need humans who will show up, stay present, and offer steady love through the highs and lows.

If you feel called to make a difference, this could be your moment.
Your love can be the start of their healing.

Learn more about becoming a foster parent in Schenectady County: schenectadyfosters.org

05/12/2025

May is National Foster Care Awareness Month!
We’re excited to host our 1st Annual Foster Care Awareness Event, proudly sponsored by Schenectady County Department of Social Services.

Join us on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at 5:00 PM in Schenectady’s Central Park for an evening of community, connection, and celebration!

This free, family-friendly event is open to the public and will feature:
• Hotdogs, refreshments & ice cream
• Music & fun activities for all ages
• A covered pavilion (rain or shine!)

Come help us honor the amazing foster families who provide love and stability to children in need—and learn how you can make a difference, especially for youth ages 10–18. We will have our Home Finding and Adoption unit present to answer any questions you may have about becoming a certified foster and adoptive parent with our agency!

Let’s come together to celebrate, support, and raise awareness!

05/11/2025

Happy Mother’s Day!

Today, we honor the love that goes beyond biology — the kind that chooses, nurtures, and uplifts. To every foster mom, kinship caregiver, adoptive mom, and birth mom working toward reunification — your strength, compassion, and commitment do not go unnoticed.

Motherhood in foster care is complex. It’s showing up day after day, offering safety, hope, and healing to children who need it most. It’s advocating in courtrooms, comforting through transitions, and believing in brighter futures.

Whether you’re holding a child’s hand through their hardest days or supporting from a distance with love in your heart — you matter deeply.

Thank you for being a light in the lives of children and families. You are seen, valued, and celebrated.

Happy Mother’s Day — your love changes lives.