ACS - Get Help with Your Case

Administration for Children's Services

Keeping Children Safe & Supporting Families


Child Safety ResourcesChild Abuse/NeglectFoster/AdoptParent Support

CARES, ACS’s Family Assessment Response
Get Help with Your Case
How to Make a Report
Mandated Reporters
Office of Safety First
Parent's Guide to Child Abuse Investigation
Special Investigations
What is Child Abuse/Neglect?
Will My Child Be Removed?

CARES, ACS’s Family Assessment Response

Get Help with Your Case

How to Make a Report

Mandated Reporters

Office of Safety First

Parent's Guide to Child Abuse Investigation

Special Investigations

What is Child Abuse/Neglect?

Will My Child Be Removed?


Get Help With Your Case

If you have an active Child Protective Investigation, you have the right to talk with the Child Protective Services (CPS) team assigned to your case, at any time.

ACS Office of Advocacy

The ACS Office of Advocacy remains available to assist you by phone and e-mail. (We are currently limiting in-person contact in the interests of slowing the spread of COVID-19.)

Helpline - (212) 676-9421

Incarcerated parents may call collect - (212) 619-1309 or (212) 341-3322

Teletype for the hearing impaired - (212) 442-1447

Send a message to the Office

The Office of Advocacy provides information and responds to the concerns of parents, youth, foster parents, and others affected by the child welfare system, juvenile justice system, and other ACS services. We also answer questions from the general public. All contact with the Office of Advocacy is confidential unless there are safety issues, especially those safety issues concerning a child.

Learn more about the Office of Advocacy

Legal Assistance

A parent or caretaker who is alleged to have abused or neglected their child has a right to legal representation. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. The following organizations can provide legal assistance to families with Family Court cases. ACS is not affiliated with these organizations. This is not legal advice and is strictly for informational purposes only.

Assistance for Families

Center for Family Representation
Brooklyn Defender Services
The Bronx Defenders
Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem
The Legal Aid Juvenile Rights Practice
Family Legal Care

Assistance for Children

New York State Court System Attorneys for Children Program
The Attorneys for Children Program is the governmental office responsible for maintaining a list of attorneys qualified to represent children, and as such, seeks to provide the highest quality legal services to children involved in the judicial system.

Find a Lawyer

These attorneys are in private practice and their services incur fees. ACS does not endorse and is not affiliated with any of the attorneys that are listed on these links. This is not legal advice and is strictly for informational purposes only.

New York Court Help
New York City Bar Referral Service
NY Attorney Directory

New York State Family Court System

NYC Family Court

General information about the five NYC Family Courts, including contact information, maps, transit and driving directions, and hours of operation.

Links to all New York State Family Court Forms.

Information about court procedures.

Answers to frequently asked questions about Family Court services.

eFamily Court

Free online access to information about Family Court cases with future appearances in all Family Courts and Integrated Domestic Violence Courts in New York State.

Search for cases by docket number, file number, or by attorney or law firm name.

View Court calendars.

e-Filing

Forms

Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) Legal Forms
Access OCFS forms used during child welfare investigations. Forms are available in multiple languages.

Programs & Initiatives

Adopt or Foster a Child

Open your heart and home to a child in foster care; become a foster or adoptive parent.

Open your heart and home to a child in foster care; become a foster or adoptive parent.

Open your heart and home to a child in foster care; become a foster or adoptive parent.

Report Child Abuse

Identify the signs of child abuse and maltreatment. Help protect a child by making a report.

Identify the signs of child abuse and maltreatment. Help protect a child by making a report.

Identify the signs of child abuse and maltreatment. Help protect a child by making a report.

New York City Kids are Our Kids

Get involved in the lives of children in your community. Volunteer as a tutor, mentor, or coach.

Get involved in the lives of children in your community. Volunteer as a tutor, mentor, or coach.

Get involved in the lives of children in your community. Volunteer as a tutor, mentor, or coach.

Child Support for Employers

Get information for employers on withholding income, reporting new hires, and more.

Get information for employers on withholding income, reporting new hires, and more.

Get information for employers on withholding income, reporting new hires, and more.

Homebase

If you are about to become homeless, Homebase can help you stay out of shelter.

If you are about to become homeless, Homebase can help you stay out of shelter.

If you are about to become homeless, Homebase can help you stay out of shelter.