The purpose of alyoung adults with arms around each otherl Children and Youth Services is to provide child welfare services designed to protect children from abuse, neglect, and enable children to remain safely in their homes. It provides services to help families overcome problems that result in dependency, neglect, and delinquency, and to enhance the family’s capacity to provide for their children’s educational, physical, and behavioral health needs.

Services are available to children from birth to 18 years of age. Children and Youth Services promote and protect the health and welfare of children with the focus of keeping families together through protective services. When placement does occur, the goal is to reconnect and reunify the child with the family in as an effective and timely way possible, while ensuring the safety of the child.

In each separate program, a Catholic Social Services Caseworker will meet with family members in the home to assist the family in working through problems. The frequency of home visits will be decided by the parents and the Caseworker.

The Catholic Social Services Agency providing Children and Youth Services is located at 100 North Wilkes-Barre Blvd, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 and the telephone number is (570) 822-7118

    1. Family Education and Support Program (FESP)
      This is a closed intake program limited to families referred by Luzerne County Children and Youth Services.
    1. Intensive Family Support/Parenting Program (IFSP)
      Referrals are made by Children and Youth Services and are a closed intake program
    1. Parent Education Program
      These families are referred through Children and Youth Services, schools, other agencies or by the families themselves.
    1. Parent and Student Success Program (PASS)
      Intake is open to all children, ages 12-18, and their families in Luzerne County. Referrals can be made by children and Youth Services, schools, other agencies or by the families themselves.
    1. Community Based Family Intervention
      These services are short term in utilization and are a closed intake referred by Luzerne County Children and Youth to prevent placement of a children out of home.
    1. Visit Coaching
      Referrals are made by Luzerne County Children and Youth to families who are working towards reunification with their children.