News from Franklin County Children Services

A new tradition during the Team FCCS Employee Reception is celebrating our Calls to Action awardees, recognizing staff whose work over the past year best exemplify our agency's priorities... from Protecting the Whole Child and Strengthening All Families to Valuing our Team Culture and Engaging our Community Authentically. Leading up to the 2026 Team FCCS Employee Reception, there were more nominations made by staff than last year, so there are even more winners, as selected by our agency's Executive Council.  As you'll read below, every awardee and nomination is impressive. WINNER: Stefanie Miller - Program Services/ West Region  Nominated by Meghan Stokes: "Stefanie’s work on this complex triple‑companion case exemplifies FCCS’s Call to Action 1: Protecting the Whole Child. Faced with a minor mother, an adult sibling with young children, and an infant with extensive medical needs, Stefanie navigated concerns spanning substance use, mental health, delinquency, medical ...

As the summer sun sets a little earlier and the morning alarms start ringing, families across the community are gearing up for another exciting school year. While you are busy checking off supply lists and packing lunches, Franklin County Children Services wants to remind you of the most important back-to-school essential: keeping our kids safe and visible. With many students heading out the door in the early morning hours, the commute often begins in the twilight or complete darkness. To help your children stay "Safe & Seen" this school year, we have compiled a practical guide filled with essential pedestrian safety tips for your family’s daily routine. Dress to Stand Out (Be Seen!) Dark mornings require bright choices. Drivers often struggle to see small pedestrians in low-light conditions, making visibility your child's best defense. Choose bright clothing: Opt for neon, white, or light-colored jackets and hoodies instead of dark blues, blacks, or grays. Add refle...

More than 120 members of Team FCCS will be honored at the 2026 Team FCCS Employee Reception. Will you be one of them? The annual event celebrates staff's years of service and dedication to helping keep kids safer and making families stronger for longer. Six employees will be honored for their 35-year anniversary, another five will celebrate 30 years. We will also recognize staff who graduated this past year with advanced degrees and the winners of our annual Call to Action Awards.  Everyone at the agency is invited to attend the Team FCCS Employee Reception at the Columbus Museum of Art, starting at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 10. In addition to exploring the musuem, staff can stay and enjoy the museum's Thursday BAM (Bar, Art & Music) with a live DJ and entertainment. Below is a list of the winners of our Call to Action Awards: CALL TO ACTON 1: Protecting the Whole Child Stefanie Miller / Ongoing Services/West Region  Avery Winston / Ongoing Services/East Region CALL...

Every day, members of Team FCCS pour incredible energy, empathy, and resilience into their work - no matter their role or job title - to support children, their families, our community, and each other. Because this work can be deeply impactful and emotionally demanding, looking out for one another is an essential part of keeping our team strong. We all experience days when the workload feels exceptionally heavy or an unexpected challenge throws off our rhythm. If you notice a colleague sitting at their desk looking overwhelmed, taking a heavy sigh, or seeming uncharacteristically quiet, reaching out can make a world of difference. Our FCCS Peer Support team has three supportive, low-pressure questions you can ask a coworker to show you have their back: 1. "How can I help lighten your load right now?" When someone is overwhelmed, a vague "Let me know if you need anything" forces them to do the mental work of finding a task for you. By asking how you can actively ligh...

Little kids don’t know what these drugs can do. But parents and adults do. More than 60,000 children visit emergency rooms across our country each year because of medication poisoning. The number of children under five treated after mistakenly eating or touching marijuana products grew exponentially in just four years. And as the use of fentanyl and potent painkillers continue to impact Central Ohio, doctors and poison centers are seeing more deadly and near-fatal accidental exposures among children. To educate parents and adults about how to protect young children against what can be a life-threatening accident, Franklin County Children Services (FCCS) and its child safety partners are launching a new community education effort: “Lock it UP, Clean it UP, and Put it AWAY.” “These are not cases of intentional harm. They are tragic, preventable accidents,” shared FCCS Executive Director Chip Spinning. “Little hands don’t know what they are touching, but parents and adults do. Our immedia...

TED E. BEAR SUMMER SAFETY CHECKLIST FOR FAMILIES Franklin County Children Services wants you to be SAFE & SEEN. Help FCCS keep kids safer this summer with these quick and easy tips for the summer season: NIGHTTIME & VISIBILITY ("SAFE AND SEEN") Gear Up: Attach your "Safe and Seen" reflective keychains to backpacks and place reflective stickers on shoes or clothing. Wear Wristbands: Put reflective wristbands on both arms so drivers can see your child from any angle. Face Traffic: Teach kids to walk on sidewalks. If there is no sidewalk, always walk on the left side of the road facing traffic. Bring Backup Light: Give children a small flashlight or headlamp to carry after sunset. Unplug While Walking: Remind kids to take out earbuds and put away cell phones when crossing roads at night.   WATER & POOL SAFETY Designate a Water Watcher: Ensure a responsible adult is actively watching the ...

Franklin County Children Services is reinforcing its commitment to transparency and responsibility by placing accountability at the forefront of its latest leadership initiative.  As part of the agency's new leadership training program, several administrators recently completed "The Power of Accountability," a specialized day-long course designed to reenforce the ways ownership and responsibility are embedded into the core of child welfare operations. “Trust is the foundation of high performing teams,” said Vicky Rhoads, the agency’s Director of Professional Development. “Accountability builds trust. It also improves decision making.” “Leaders who are accountable are more thoughtful about the choices they make. They evaluate risks, weigh impact, and take responsibility for outcomes - good or bad,” Ms. Rhoads added. The accountability training moves beyond abstract concepts, challenging leaders to demonstrate accountability in their interactions with the families they serv...