June 22, 2018 -- Westchester County Executive George Latimer is offering the County’s Department of Social Services to assist the Federal Government with reuniting children currently housed in Westchester facilities with their families.
Under NYS law, County Social Services Departments are required to have plans and systems in place for the purpose of placing children with family and relatives, once they have been removed from a parent or parents.
Latimer said: “The Westchester County Department of Social Services, as part of its child protection mission, has the ability to link children up with family members, both in and out of state. They are trained at doing this in an efficient fashion, with many tools at their disposal, while doing everything they can to reduce the trauma on the children involved. I have spoken with the Commissioner, and expressed to him the need to extend our reach, and help these children who are far from home, ripped from their parents, and placed in our county.”
Governor Andrew Cuomo, in a letter sent yesterday to residential service providers across the state, demanded information related to the identities, care and needs of the children who had been placed here by the federal government.
Department of Social Services Commissioner Kevin McGuire said: “In cases ranging from neglect and abuse to the loss of a custodial parent, our County Social Services Department often takes on the important task of locating family members and getting children reconnected with them. The Department is ready and willing to support the federal government if they ask.”