Family Finding & Relative Notification Letters
Have you received a letter from Henrico Department of Social Services stating that you may be a relative of a child in foster care?
For many, these letters can be a source of anxiety, confusion or skepticism, so please know that these are real letters, and you may call the social worker who sent you the letter during normal business hours Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm to have your questions answered.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why did I receive this letter?
All local Departments of Social Services in Virginia are required to run a family search when a child enters foster care, or if they are at high risk of entering foster care. If you came up on the list of possible relatives provided by the search, you will receive a relative notification letter. Unfortunately, the search engine is not always 100% accurate and sometimes people end up on the list in error. The worker who sent you the letter can help determine whether or not you are a relative when you call.
The #1 goal of The Department is to keep children within their families, whether biological or close family supports, even if they are in the custody of the Department. ‘Family Finding’ is a tool used by Local Departments of Social Services to build connections and supports for the family, and to find short-term or long-term alternate caregivers, when children are not able to remain with their parents for any number of reasons.
- How did you get my information?
The search engine mentioned above provides names and contact information for people identified as possible relatives of the family involved with the local Department of Social Services. Your information is confidential and only used for family finding purposes.
- Are these letters related to paternity?
No. If you receive a relative notification letter, you have been identified as a possible relative of the child’s parent, and the parent has already been identified by The Department. These are not paternity letters, and in no way mean that the recipient is the father, or a potential father, of the child referenced in the letter.
- If I’m confirmed to be a family member, what does this mean?
Per the letter you received, this means you can be connected to the child, possibly be explored as a placement or custody option for the child in certain situations, or just be involved in the child’s life. The family finding social worker who sent you the letter can connect you to the caseworker working directly with the family, so that you may discuss next steps in making those connections, if you so choose.
- If it turns out I am not a family member, what does this mean?
If you and the family finding social worker determine that you are not a relative, then they can make note of that so that The Department does not contact you again regarding the child referenced in the letter.
- How long does it take to hear back from the person who sent me the letter?
Family finding social workers do their best to return calls within one business day as long as the caller leaves a message. Messages are returned in the order they are received so there may be times it takes an additional business day to hear back if there have been a large number of calls regarding the same case. You will hear back as quickly as possible, as The Department understands the urgency to answer questions regarding a family notification letter.
Family Finding Social Workers at Henrico
Stacey Mihelich | [email protected] | 804-501-5352
Kristen Turso-Whitlow | [email protected] | 804-652-3317
Supervisor Kenya Burton | [email protected]| 804-501-5895
