Welcome to Lucas County Children Services
Holiday Gift Drive
The holiday season should be a joyous one for every child – including those who might be separated from their families due to abuse or neglect. Our annual campaign ensures that every child involved with Lucas County Children Services receives gifts and has an opportunity to celebrate the season.
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Lucas County Children Services
– A Letter to the Community
For 158 years, Lucas County residents have demonstrated their commitment to this county’s children by approving ballot measures that have funded services for birth parents, foster parents, kin caregivers and others who protect children and promote families.
I am pleased to report that on Tuesday, voters once again showed their concern for children – and confidence in this agency – by approving a new, 1.5 mill levy that will generate $12.2 million annually for the next five years. These funds will help to offset the cost of caring for our most troubled youth, and fund prevention services that stabilize families before child protection needs to intervene.
In these challenging times, asking voters to approve “new money” can be a difficult proposition, as many other worthwhile institutions compete for voters’ shrinking pocketbooks. We are truly humbled by the confidence that Lucas County residents have placed in us, and we are committed to remaining good stewards of their tax dollars.
The mission of Lucas County Children Services is to lead the community in the protection of children. Your support provides us with the resources to make that happen, and for that, we thank you.
Randall Muth, J.D.
Executive Director
Lucas County Children Services (LCCS) needs YOU—to become a foster parent!
There are hundreds of Lucas County children, who, through no fault of their own, need a safe and loving environment. The numbers of kids requiring foster care continues to grow, while the number of available homes has not.
Tweens and teens may require the mentoring needed to build and maintain a strong foundation for the transition into adulthood. These youth often are looking for a stable and safe environment that provides them the opportunities to achieve the future they envision for themselves.
Sibling groups can better weather the storms of separation from family when a foster home is able to keep them together. Siblings rely on each other heavily, so a larger, loving home can give them the stability and safety they need to thrive in such challenging conditions.
Treatment foster homes are needed to help children living with disabilities or special needs to achieve their full potential. Treatment foster caregivers may have or can learn specialized skills to ensure each child’s physical and emotional well-being needs are met.
LCCS provides the training and support to help you be the best foster parent possible. Please click here to take the first step. If you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers!
Kinship Support Program (KSP)
On December 29, 2020, Governor Mike DeWine signed an Executive Order, establishing a Kinship Support Program to assist kinship caregivers of children in Ohio’s child welfare system.
The Governor’s order directs the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) to pay all eligible kinship caregivers (related and unrelated) a daily stipend for each child in the custody of Lucas County Children Services (LCCS) that is placed in their home as kin. These KSP payments will continue for not more than nine months while caregivers work with LCCS to become licensed as a foster parent. ODJFS may waive certain non-safety-related foster care licensing requirements to help you become licensed. Once licensed, caregivers will receive foster care payments to care for the child as long as he/she remains in the home.
There is no application process to receive KSP payments. To be eligible, the child must be in the temporary, permanent, or legal custody of a public children services agency (PCSA) like LCCS, and be placed in your home by the PCSA as a kinship placement. Currently licensed foster caregivers are not eligible for this program. Find more information, click here.
Join Our Team!
LCCS is seeking a candidate to assess, document, track and ensure medical care of children in the care of LCCS.
Regular shift: 1:00pm–9:00pm
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2025 Pre-Service Training Schedule
Please visit:
https://lucaskids.net/pre-service-training/
2025 Foster & Adoptive Parents
Preservice Schedule
~ DOWNLOAD PDF ~
Meet some of the young people awaiting forever families here in Lucas County.
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We Respond 24 Hours A Day
Report Child Abuse or Neglect: (419) 213-CARE (2273)
Child safety is Lucas County Children Services’ top priority. Experienced screeners will answer calls about suspected child abuse or neglect 24/7.
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Are you experiencing domestic violence?
There are a number of resources in our community to help you protect yourself and your children, and to help you make a plan to get out.
>> LCCS Community Resource Guide (PDF download)
