Mission Statement & Guiding Principles
All children have the right to be protected from physical neglect and abuse including sexual victimization, and from emotional neglect and abuse.
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All children have the right to live in a strong family that provides a safe, nurturing and healthy environment in which to be reared, as families are the primary source of the protection and nurturing of children.
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All children have the right to be happy, thriving, self-actualized, educated, healthy and content. To have the opportunity to reach their full potential as individuals capable of healthy relationships and productive lives, and to have a fair chance in life with opportunities for healthy, balanced and well-rounded development.
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All children have the right to live in a permanent family and to timely permanency decisions. These are critical to the health and welfare of dependent children.
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The ultimate goal of "Families 4 Children" is to ensure
that every child grows up in a safe, nurturing and
permanent family.
This goal will be accomplished through the following four mission priorities: protecting children; promoting strong families; promoting child well-being and providing timely permanency. Embedding these mission priorities into all aspects of the child dependency system will lead to better outcomes for our children and a brighter future for our communities.
These principles represent the fundamental beliefs that should guide the overall operation of the child dependency system in Pennsylvania. They should be reflected in the delivery of all services to children and families within that system. These beliefs should also guide court and policy decisions at all levels within the system and the relationships among all participants in the system. Adherence to these principles should increase child safety and well-being while reducing the number of dependent children in Pennsylvania and the length of time that any one child remains dependent.
To accomplish this mission and redefine, refocus and redirect the goals, actions and operation of the child dependency system in Pennsylvania, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, through its Office of Children & Families in the Courts and the Children's Roundtable Initiative, presents the Guiding Principles outlined above.