Child Welfare

The Child Welfare Division works to meet the needs of Louisiana's most vulnerable citizens. The Child Welfare division works to protect children against abuse and/or neglect, find permanent homes for Louisiana's foster children and to educate the public on Safe Sleep and Louisiana's Safe Haven Law.

Child Protection Investigation

Child Protection Investigation (CPI) encompasses two goals: 1) the investigation of child abuse and neglect and 2) the provision of short-term, concrete services to children and families.

• Report Child Abuse - Call 1-855-4LA-KIDS (1-855-452-5437) toll free 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
• What is Child Abuse or Neglect?
  
• Family Services - services, which are provided to families and children in their own homes in order to address problems of abuse/neglect and promote the safety of the children within the family unit.
• Who are Mandated Reporters? 

Adoption and Foster Parenting

• Provider Portal
  • Are you currently a certified foster/adoptive parent? If your response is yes, visit CAFE Provider Portal. Once registered, you will have the ability to: 1) upload/download documents; 2) submit Expenditure Affidavit - Form 435; 3) review board/expenditure history.
  • Interested in becoming a certified foster/adoptive parent? Visit CAFE Provider Portal to submit an: 1) Inquiry; 2) Application; and 3) Expenditure Affidavit - Form 435. This feature also allows a user to upload and/or download documentation necessary for certification.
• Being a Foster Parent - Foster Care is a protective service provided to children in the custody of the Department of Children &  Family Services.  It provides substitute, temporary care (e.g., foster family home, residential care facility, etc.) for a planned period of time when a child must be separated from his own parents or relatives.
• Adoption Services - Seeks adoptive home placement of children who are in the Department of Children & Family Services’ custody and are legally free for adoption.
• Petition Services - Staff conduct investigations of all independent adoptions including stepparent, grandparent, one parent and non-relative adoptions to determine the availability of the child and the suitability of the adoptive home, including reporting to the courts the findings of these investigations and assisting the families in obtaining revised birth certificates.
  
• Family Team Meetings - Family Team Meetings bring together a family and interested people with resources from child welfare, mental health, schools, and other helping agencies. These interested parties work together to learn what the family hopes to accomplish, set realistic and important goals, recognize and encourage the family's strengths, identify what the family needs, find solutions that build on the family's strengths and lead to necessary changes, make a plan for who will do what and when it will be done, and agree on the next steps.
• Reunion Registry - The Louisiana Adoption Registry is a registry established by the Department of Children & Family Services to facilitate voluntary contact between adult adoptees, their birth parents and/or siblings.

Child Welfare Recruitment Video: The Value of Everyone

Safe Haven

By leaving a baby they are unable to care for in the care of an employee at a Safe Haven facility, parents can give up custody of a baby under 60 days old with no questions asked. Safe Haven For Safe Haven Providers - Training materials Request Safe Haven promotional materials

Safe Sleep

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services urges you to sleep safe and sleep sound by following these guidelines:

• Your baby sleeps safest in his or her own bed
  • Never sleep with your baby on a couch
  • Never in an arm chair or with a pillow
  • Never on a waterbed
  • Never sleep with a baby or toddler while under the influence of medication, alcohol or drugs

For more information, go to the Safe Sleep webpage.

Child Abuse/Neglect Background Checks

Louisiana maintains a State Repository and a State Central Registry (SCR). The State Repository is a repository of all reports of child abuse and/or neglect. The SCR is a listing of perpetrators of certain valid child abuse/neglect investigations, as determined by the Tiered Validity System. The Louisiana Administrative Code (LAC) and Louisiana’s Children’s Code govern what information is contained in the Repository and State Central Registry, as well as what information can be released by DCFS.

For more information, go to the Child Abuse/Neglect Background Checks webpage.

Child Welfare Providers

• CAFE Provider Portal
  • Submit requests to obtain additional information about becoming a Foster/Adoptive Parent;
  • Submit an application to become a Foster/Adoptive Parent, after beginning training classes, along with the ability to upload supporting documentation;
  • Certified Foster/Adoptive Parents, Residential Providers, Private Foster Home Agencies, and Non-Certified Caretakers, through the Provider Portal can:
    • Submit an electronic version of the Form 435 to request reimbursement for approved services, while also being able to upload associated receipts/invoices;
    • View payment history, if able to link an eligible TIPS Provider Number in CAFE's Provider Portal;
    • Register an email address, if able to link an eligible TIPS Provider Number in CAFE's Provider Portal in order to receive email notifications/requests;
    • Submit and Emergency Preparedness plan, if able to link an eligible TIPS Provider Number in CAFE's Provider Portal.
  • Child Welfare Vendors, through the CAFE Provider Portal, can:
    • Submit an electronic version of a TIPS 212 to request payment for approved services, along with the ability to upload supporting documentation;
    • View payment history;
    • Receive referrals from Child Welfare worker for specific types of client services as well as being able to upload updates associated with that referral;
    • Register an email address in order to receive email notifications/requests.