Our Mission:
To protect Denver's children and youth through services, advocacy, and respect for diversity,while promoting family stability and strengthening family connections to community resources.
All Child Welfare Services are consolidated within the Child Welfare Division of the Denver Department of Human Services. This Division has been accredited by the Child Welfare League of America since 1946.
The largest division of the Denver Department of Human Services, the Child Welfare Division, is responsible for the investigation of physical child abuse, sexual child abuse, and child neglect, as defined by the Colorado Children’s Code.
Our goal is to work cooperatively with families and to provide services to keep families together. Working in collaboration with community agencies, the Denver Police Department and Denver Juvenile Court, all allegations of child maltreatment are addressed through services designed specifically to identify and to protect victims from further abuse. These services often include substance abuse and mental health treatment for parents and children, day treatment, home-based services and sexual abuse treatment. The Department provides temporary placement of a child out of the child’s home when needed, and works toward a permanent plan for that child.
The Child Welfare Division is comprised of five major sub-divisions: Intake, Child Protection, Youth Services, Operations, and Resources, coordinating services such as foster care, kinship care, adoption, teen parenting program, independent living plan for youth, and more.