What is Foster Care?

When a child is abandoned or removed from his or her home due to abuse or neglect the government is responsible for placing that child in a certified foster home.

Our Mission
The Milton and Molly Schulman OHEL Foster Care Program is a contract agency with the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS). When a child is removed from his or her home, ACS will contact OHEL so that the child can be placed in a home. 

The Milton and Molly Schulman OHEL Foster Care Program is responsible for the physical, emotional, educational and recreational needs of the children in its care. OHEL has been consistently ranked as the No1 Foster Care Agency in NYC.

How Great is The Need? Why Is There a Need in the Community?
Contrary to what many may believe, there is a tremendous need for loving foster and adoptive families. When a child is abandoned or removed from his or her home due to abuse or neglect, the government is responsible for placing that child in a certified foster or adoptive home. These babies, children and adolescents seek a loving home, and a life of hope and promise, which you could provide.

Adopt or Foster – What is Right For You?
Opening your heart and home to a child in need is an enriching and life-changing experience for parent and child alike. Foster Care means providing a loving but temporary home for children in need. In these cases, the hope is that the child will eventually return to their birth families.

Adoptive Care means providing a loving and permanent home for children in need. For these children, the government or biological parents themselves have decided that the child cannot return to their biological parents.

Are You That Family, or Can You Help Us Find a Loving Home?
If considering becoming a foster parent may seem overwhelming – you are normal! Prospective foster parents have big hearts, but may feel daunted by the actual reality of fostering a child in need. OHEL can send you a detailed information package that provides a comprehensive overview of our Foster Care Program, and our specialized staff invite you to discuss the process with them. In many cases, eventual foster care parents learn about our service from a family member or friend who made an initial inquiry. Perhaps through your inquiry, you may discover just the right family who would open their home to a child in need.