History
Founded in 1882, the Children's Aid Society
of Pennsylvania was organized to care for destitute
children. After the Civil War, children in
Philadelphia and the surrounding counties were
placed in jails, almshouses and asylums with
their parents and were often abandoned or orphaned
there in deplorable conditions. Our founders
were private citizens who took action to make
things better for these vulnerable children.
CAS of PA has a history rich in innovation
and leadership:
| 1883 |
Successfully lobbied the
first Pennsylvania laws prohibiting the
commitment of children to adult institutions |
| 1903 |
Established Juvenile Court.
Co-developed a course in child training now known as the University of Pennsylvania
School of Social Work. |
| 1909 |
Presented at the first White House Conference
on Children |
| 1911 |
Co-creator of the United States Children's
Bureau |
| 1920 |
Helped organize the Child Welfare League
of America |
| 1921 |
Became a charter member of the Welfare
Federation, now the United Way of Southeastern
Pennsylvania |
| 1951 |
Expanded services promoting the adoption
of African-American children |
| 1957 |
Initiated residential treatment for the
care of emotionally disturbed children |
| 1964 |
Developed the first subsidized Quasi-Adoption
service to encourage adoption by African-American
families |
| 1980 |
Established Services to Children in Their
Own Home (SCOH), the first child welfare
service in Philadelphia for placement prevention
and family reunification |
| 1984 |
Developed extensive services to prevent
family breakdown, child abuse and neglect |
| 1987 |
1987 Created Time Out for Teens and Tots™ (“TTT”),
a groundbreaking parent support program
for teenage mothers and their children. |
| 1991 |
Researched and published in Formal Adoption
of the Developmentally Vulnerable African-American
Child: Ten-Year Outcome in Families and
Adoption, edited by Gross and Sussman |
| 1991 |
Madeira Family Center opened at 2123
N. Gratz Street. Community-based services
are programmed from this facility, many of which are offered in collaboration
with The Church of the Advocate. |
| 2000 |
2000 CAS of PA contracts with the Philadelphia
Department of Health to once again offer
SCOH services to families in crisis. |
| 2002 |
CAS of PA creates its first “Beyond
TTT” group for alumnae of the TTT
program ages 18 to 21. Beyond TTT focuses
on the issues confronting older mothers
and their children. |
| 2003 |
In September 2003, CAS of PA will start
up a Latina TTT group at Edison High School
in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. |
|
