The Children’s Home of Reading is a leading non-profit social service agency offering mental and behavioral health, and education services to care for at-risk children, youth and their families from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh with offices in Berks County, Bucks County, and the Greater Lehigh Valley.
Our goal is to provide a continuum of care from the least restrictive services beginning with community-based programs, foster care and adoption, specialized educational programs for kids with emotional and behavioral issues, up through and including our specialized trauma informed treatment-oriented residential environments for adolescent youth.
We’ve been meeting the needs of children and their families in crisis for well over 140 years.
MISSION STATEMENT
Caring for the needs of Children and Families in crisis and preparing them for success in life, thereby strengthening the Quality of Life in the Communities we serve.
Our History
Dream it.
1884 The City of Reading opened a day nursery for women on Franklin Street. Once the first motherless child was placed under their care, the Home soon began serving the dual purpose of a day nursery and a foster home.
1888 The facility was outgrown and re-opened as the “Home for Friendless Children”.
In the upcoming years the purpose of the Home was to provide temporary shelter and instruction to orphaned and destitute children whose parents were unfit to care for them, as well as addressing the needs of the times, such as:
Custodial Care
World Wars
Malnutrition
Influenza Epidemic
The Children’s Home of Reading
1947 With the intent of better describing the services and the children served, our name was changed to The Children’s Home of Reading.
The focus shifted to helping the children and their families heal through:
Treatment
Education
Counseling
In line with The Children’s Home of Reading’s beliefs, they always sought the children’s welfare and happiness in every way possible, and when needed, they found permanent homes in respectable families.
Moving Forward
As a result of the recent alliance between The Children’s Home of Reading Youth and Family Services (Community Based & PRTF Services), Edison Court(Community Based & Specialized Residential Services), and Affinity(Specialized Foster Care & Community Based Services) we are excited to introduce a NEW robust continuum of residential programs.
By joining together we enhance our impact, offer multiple levels of care that promote meaningful and sustained well-being for the children youth and families we serve, and work to cover all your referral needs.
Step one is always “Let’s talk.”
Learn more by calling our referral hotline-888.608.0789
Impact Across the Nation
We keep our local connections to Berks County, and have expanded our campuses into Bucks County and the greater Lehigh Valley areas. Our services & programs help children and families from across Pennsylvania and our nation. We believe investing in treatment early helps children become productive members of society.