A Second Chance, Inc.
A Second Chance, Inc. (ASCI), is a nonprofit corporation established in 1994. Its mission is to provide a safe, secure and nurturing environment to children in the care of relatives or close family friends—formally called kinship care. ASCI is the largest provider of kinship support services to all of Allegheny County, Pa., where it is also headquartered. ASCI also has contracts in Westmoreland, Fayette, Mercer and Washington counties and a large office in Philadelphia County—where it provides a full range of services to families, youth, and children in cooperation with the Department of Human Services (DHS), which considers ASCI the provider of choice for kinship-related services—serving three additional contiguous counties.
ASCI is the largest foster care provider to the Allegheny County Department of Human Services’ Office of Children, Youth, and Families (CYF). In conjunction with the courts, CYF determines the appropriate placements for neglected, abused, or abandoned children before referring these families to ASCI to stabilize the placements, license the homes according to Department of Public Welfare (DPW) requirements and ASCI’s Gold Standard 60-day certification family approval process, provide crucial support services and ensure the safety, permanency, and well-being of the children in care.
A Second Chance, Inc., is the national leader in kinship care, which is family caring for family—a natural, out-of-home placement option for children.
Services and information
- Traditional Foster Care
- Emergency Foster Care
- Respite Foster Care
- Other
Requirements to become a foster parent
You must meet minimum requirements to provide foster care in Pennsylvania. Foster parents for children in need must:
- Be a minimum of 21 years old
- Pass a criminal background check with fingerprinting
- Have time and energy to devote to fostering
- Live in a safe and healthy environment
- Prove good health through a medical examination/physical
- Maintain financial stability
- Clear all home safety requirements
- Complete required pre-service training hours
- Finish the Home Inspection
After fulfilling all requirements during the approval process, licensed foster parents can welcome a foster child into their home. To maintain a valid license, foster parents must also participate in ongoing training each year.
All adults who are living in homes with foster children in Pennsylvania must pass a required criminal background check and fingerprinting. This includes adult children who are family members living at home.
There are other, more detailed requirements for foster homes, such as having a flushing toilet and an operable phone. Prospective foster parents will learn more details during foster parent orientation.
Once you've decided to foster, you can contact a public or private foster agency or the Pennsylvania State Resource Family Association. Foster agencies screen and train prospective foster families and ensure applicants are good candidates for foster care.
Ratings and Reviews
Average user rating
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Dec 05, 2018
Always late to visits. Always leaves early. Drivers complain of being short handed.
Untrustworthy.
Nov 05, 2018
Bad organizatiom
Nov 05, 2018
Not too sure about the Second Chance program but I went there for IdentoGO services which is around the back of the building. IdentoGO does fingerprinting and background check services and Second Chance is a contractor for them. The location seemed clean and friendly.
Oct 24, 2018
As a foster parent the facility is welcoming good instructors for classes to certify and lots of resources for the kids
Sep 29, 2018
If i could rate them less i would they constantly dont bring my kid to the court ordered visitation plus they need to go back to school or at least learn manners i show up for visits and when i get there they tell me their not bringing my kid that place is a complete joke. And the big kicker is there all across the us. I cant believe this is a multi million dollar what ever u want to call this company.