CHILDREN’S SERVICES

Gallia County Children Services is the public county agency charged by law under the Ohio Revised Code to provide for the care and protection of abused, neglected and dependent children in Gallia County. In fulfilling this charge, we provide the following services: intake investigations, ongoing protective/homemaker services, foster care, adoption services, services to unmarried parents, and child abuse/neglect prevention services. The mission of the Gallia County Children Services is to protect the children of Gallia County from physical and emotional harm and to preserve families. We are committed to a partnership with the community that provides all children the right to grow and develop in a safe, nurturing, stable, and permanent family.

848 3^RD Ave Gallipolis OH 45631

Phone: (740) 446-4963

• How we respond to families – Intervention occurs only to ensure the safety of children or to help the family. The goal is to keep children safely in the home and provide services to families that may prevent the need for opening cases and out-of-home placement.
• How we make decisions with the family – Families are best served when they are truly engaged in both the identification of the issues that are challenging them and in the development of the service plan to help them. Throughout the life of a case, families are encouraged to provide input and to be a part of the team decision-making process.
• How we find stability and permanency for children – The agency is committed to the safety, permanency and well-being of each child we serve. We strive to provide permanency with kinship, foster and adoptive families.

 Traditional Response to Concerns for Child Safety

When serious allegations of abuse or neglect are made, a caseworker will be assigned to ensure the safety of the child(ren) and perform an investigation to determine if abuse or neglect has occurred. In the traditional response pathway, one or more children are considered alleged victims and one or more persons are considered alleged perpetrators. The investigation will result in a determination of whether abuse or neglect has occurred.

Alternative Response to Concerns for Child Safety

When less serious concerns are raised, the alternative response pathway may be used. A caseworker will be assigned to ensure child safety and assess the needs of the child and family. Children are not labeled victims and there is no alleged perpetrator. A formal determination of whether or not a child was abused or neglected is not made.

Suspect Child Abuse or Neglect?

Abuse represents an action against a child. It is an act of commission and is generally of three kinds:

1. Physical Abuse: Injury or death inflicted other than by accidental means
2. Sexual Abuse: Any act of sexual nature upon or with a child.
3. Emotional Abuse: Chronic attitude or acts which interfere with the psychological and social development of a child.

Neglect represents a failure to act on behalf of a child. It is an act of omission. It may be in the form of:

1. Physical Neglect: Failure to meet the requirements basic to a child's physical development such as supervision, housing, clothing, nutrition, and support.
2. Medical Neglect: Failure to provide a child with needed medical attention by a trained medical professional.

Additional services include:

• Kinship – services to those taking in young family members
• Foster Care – placement of children in temporary foster homes
• Adoption – When parents or relatives are unable to care for the children, permanent and loving adoptive families are found.
• Youth transition services and life skills training for youth who are about to age out of the child welfare system 
• START
• ICPC
• Respite

Mandatory Reporter Form

Gallia County Memorandum Of Understanding to address Child Abuse and Neglect.PDF

To make a report call 740-446-4963

After hours call 911