The Children's Aid Society

Adoption and Foster Care

The Children's Aid Society's very first program in 1853 sought decent homes and families for the thousands of homeless, abused and orphaned children living on the streets of New York City. That program, called the Orphan Train Movement, is recognized as the foundation of the United States' modern-day foster care system.

Today, Children's Aid finds homes for more than 500 children each year. Our foster care program provides specialized services including Family Foster Care, Medical Foster Care, Therapeutic Foster Care and services for teens "aging out" of foster care.

Children’s Aid ensures that these temporary homes are safe and nurturing by training foster parents and supervising the families while the children are in their care. But because children need a permanent home, either with an adoptive family or their birthparents, our work focuses on providing tremendous support to the children, their foster parents and their birthparents.

Adoption and Foster Care remains one of Children’s Aid’s largest service divisions and among our highest priorities.
Learn how you can become a foster parent.