Berks County Children & Youth Services

Berks County Children & Youth Services

Mission

The Mission of the Berks County Children and Youth Services is to protect children and assure their physical & emotional well-being as provided by law, and to preserve, strengthen & empower their families. 

Report Child Abuse: Call 1-800-932-0313

If you are a mandated reporter, go to: Pennsylvania Child Welfare Portal

To learn more about protecting Pennsylvania's children from abuse and neglect, go to www.KeepKidsSafe.pa.gov

About Department / Agency Responsibility

Images of Children

Berks County Children and Youth Services is assigned to protect children, up to eighteen years of age, from abuse and neglect. The staff investigate all reports of child maltreatment in Berks County. For families at risk of future abuse or neglect, services and monitoring are implemented to ensure child safety and allow the children to remain in their homes. For some cases, placement outside the family's home is warranted. When this happens, the parents participate in services to allow the children's safe return. For situations in which a safe return is not able to occur, the Berks County Children and Youth Services staff request that the Court terminate parental rights. A permanent adoptive situation is located, often within the child's family and/or community.

Mandated Reporter Request for Update Form

Please follow the instructions on how to submit the request for update that is found at the top of the form. In addition, please take note to the information at the bottom that explains what Mandated Reporters have the right to know as per the Child Protective Services Law.

Announcements

Notice for Appointments
If you have an appointment with our office, please wear a face mask or some type of covering over your nose and mouth.
Departmental Operations
The agency is open to those appearing for Court and appointments only - no walk-ins accepted at this time.  To contact us, please call 610-478-6700.

Programs and Services

Adoption - A permanent option

When foster children are unable to be returned to their birth families, the court may order that parental rights be terminated and the child should be placed for adoption.

Foster Care

Berks County Children and Youth Services is mandated to provide care for children who must be moved to out-of-home placement.

In-Home Services

Reports of abuse or neglect to children often bring to light troubling family situations. 

Out-Of-Home Placement

Following the assessment of a child’s safety, related to incidents of abuse or neglect, there are occasions when it is necessary for Berks County Children and Youth Services to remove a child from their living situation.

Resource Parents

"A Child's Happiness is Priceless"

Learn about steps to becoming a resource parent or our Partners in Parent program today.

Truancy

Berks County CYS currently contracts with Service Access and Management (S.A.M.) for truancy reduction services. Schools and Magisterial District Judges offices may make referrals to S.A.M. based on a County wide protocol.

Berks County Truancy Reduction Protocol

If you feel your child is in need of truancy services, please contact your child’s school district and request assistance.

Berks Initiative for School Attendance (BISA) Executive Summary (2011-2021) Overview

Information and Resources