Supporting Children, Youth, and Families in Philadelphia
A Second Chance, Inc. (ASCI) has served Philadelphia families since opening its regional office in 2005. Working in partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Human Services, our Philadelphia team provides comprehensive, family-centered services designed to strengthen kinship families, support children and youth, and help families work toward safe and lasting permanency.
Our Philadelphia Regional Office serves the entire kinship triad (children and youth, kinship caregivers, and birth families) through strengths-based, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive services. Whether a child has recently entered care, a relative is preparing to become a caregiver, or a family is working toward reunification, guardianship, or adoption, ASCI works alongside families throughout their journey.
Philadelphia Services
ASCI’s Philadelphia Regional Office offers a range of services and supports, including:
- Kinship Emergency Response (KER): Rapid support for families when a child needs an emergency kinship placement, including home inspections, clearances, immediate tangible needs, family assessment, and placement stabilization.
- Certification & Compliance: Support for kinship and foster caregivers as they work toward meeting Pennsylvania certification requirements and maintaining safe, compliant homes.
- Respite Care: Emergency placement services while ASCI works to identify family and kinship resources and pursue a more stable placement.
- Family Finding & Family Group Decision-Making: Services that help identify and engage family and supportive connections in planning for children and youth.
- Permanency & SWAN Services: Support for children and families moving toward permanency goals, including adoption, permanent legal custody, family profiles, child profiles, adoption finalization, child preparation, and post-permanency services.
- Specialized Behavioral Health: Services and supportive placements for children and youth with higher-level behavioral health needs.
- Kinship & Foster Care Support: Ongoing case management, caregiver support, training, and services designed to promote placement stability and child well-being.
- Caregiver Training & Support: Education, support groups, and resources that help caregivers understand the child welfare system and feel prepared for their role.
A Family-Centered Approach
At ASCI, we believe children are best supported when their family connections are preserved whenever safely possible. Our Philadelphia team works to identify family strengths, maintain important relationships, support caregivers, and help children remain connected to their families, communities, and cultural identities.
Our goal is to strengthen and preserve healthy families for children and help each family move toward the best possible outcome for the child.