Social Services Department

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Social Services strives to ensure the safety of children in a manner the helps them nurture relationships to support growth and development into adulthood. The department is a state agency that works to protect children from child abuse and neglect. Its family support unit builds the capacity of high-risk communities to support families and integrates a strengths-based approach into the department s practice. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Social Services coordinates nurturing programs that help parents to improve parenting skills. The agency s collaborative assessment program provides a single point of entry for youths who have serious emotional disturbances and are at risk of residential placement. It also offers opportunities for community volunteers to make differences in the lives of foster children. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Social Services maintains a location in Dorchester, Mass.