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Established in 1988, the Family Services Division of the Department of Social Services provided child, family and youth social services by authority of The Family Services Act. Programs and services were delivered through a network of twenty-three regional offices throughout the province. The division also oversaw provisions of service by non-governmental organizations that supplemented or complemented services provided by the department. The division reported to the Assistant Deputy Minister of the department.

Family services included child protection, teen parent and unmarried mother services, adoption, foster care, and family violence services. Child protection services investigated into all reports of child abuse or neglect. Subsequent measures included counselling, referral and supportive services or the removal of a child from the home. Teen parent and unmarried mother services provided information, referrals, counselling, and pre-natal and post-natal support services, as well as services for single mothers seeking to place children for adoption. Adoption services were responsible for the recruitment, screening, preparation and selection of adoptive families for children in need of placement, as well as facilitating private, step-parent, and international adoptions. The foster home program provided substitute family environments for children in need of temporary or permanent placement. Responsibility for children in foster care was shared between the department and the foster parents in the program. Family violence services were provided by departmental staff and by non-governmental organizations and included crisis accommodation, crisis intervention, counselling and family support.

Responsibilities of the Family Services Division, along with those of the Young Offenders Division, were amalgamated in 1992 to form the Family and Youth Services Division of the Department of Social Services.

The Public Welfare Branch of the Department of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation was established in 1951 by an amalgamation of the department's Child Welfare Branch and Public Assistance Branch. The new branch was comprised of three divisions: Child Welfare; Public Assistance; and Regional Services. Directors of the divisions were M.E. Battel, A.W. Shivon and R.S. Johnston, respectively.

The Child Welfare Division was responsible for the administration of The Child Welfare Act and The Education of Blind and Deaf Children Act. Programs provided by the division were child protection, support to unmarried mothers, the education of blind students, adoption services, foster care and institutional care for children not suitable for foster care. The division also worked in cooperation with the Children's Aid Societies of Saskatoon and Moose Jaw for the provision of child protection and foster care programs and services.

The Public Assistance Division was responsible for the administration of: The Old Age Assistance Act; The Blind Persons' Allowance Act; The Social Aid Act; The Deserted Wives' and Children's Maintenance Act, 1950; and The Mothers' Allowance Regulations. Programs provided by the division were social aid, aid to dependent families, old age assistance, disabled and blind persons' allowances, assistance to those under long-term hospital care, and deserted wives and children's assistance.

The Regional Services Division provided child welfare and public assistance services through a network of regional offices throughout the province. Regional offices were located at Regina, Saskatoon, North Battleford, Prince Albert, Moose Jaw and Yorkton. Regional sub-offices were located at Weyburn (for the Regina region), Melfort (Prince Albert region) and Swift Current (Moose Jaw region).

As a result of departmental reorganization in 1954, the Child Welfare, Public Assistance and Regional Services divisions became distinct branches within the department's organizational structure, and the Public Welfare Branch ceased existence. All of the former divisions' responsibilities were transferred to the respective new branches.

The Child and Family Services Division of the Ministry of Social Services was established on November 21, 2007. It is responsible for the administration of legislation including: The Child and Family Services Act; The Adoption Act, 1998; The Child Care Act; and The Emergency Protection for Victims of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Act. The division reports to one of the ministry's Assistant Deputy Ministers. Its programs and services provide targeted support for at-risk children, youth and families. Program areas include: child protection and family support services; foster care provided by families throughout the province; adoption and the provision of post-adoption information; teen and young parent welfare; and family violence intervention and counselling. The division also collaborates with child and family services agencies from eighteen First Nations on the provision of child welfare services to families living on reserve.

The Child and Family Services Division was organized into three branches in 2009: Program and Service Design; Child and Family Service Delivery; and Child and Family Community Services. Responsibilities of the division continue (2014) within the ministry.

The Child Welfare Branch of the Department of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation was established in 1949 to provide programs and services that assisted disadvantaged children and families. Its programs and services included: child protection; adoption; foster care; the education of blind children; and assistance for unmarried parents. Services and programs were administered under The Child Welfare Act and The Education of Blind and Deaf Children's Act, and were provided through a network of regional offices throughout the province. The Director of the Child Welfare Branch was V.M. Parr.

Child protection services addressed reports of child abuse or neglect in homes. Adoption services provided counselling and facilitated planning for the placement of children relinquished for adoption. Adoptions were administered through ward and non-ward agreements. Foster care was provided in situations of temporary or permanent removal of children from their families. Placements for these children included foster homes and children's institutions. Institutions operated by the branch included: a children's home at Green Lake; a babies' nursery in Regina; receiving homes in North Battleford and Regina; and a girls' hostel in Regina. The education of the province's blind children took place in Ontario at the Brantford School for the Blind. The branch coordinated the placement of students and assumed the cost of their education as no appropriate services were offered in Saskatchewan. Services to unmarried mothers included financial assistance, and support in establishing paternity of the children in order to secure financial assistance from the fathers.

In addition to services offered by department staff, Children's Aid Societies in Moose Jaw and Saskatoon provided child protection services and supervision of juvenile delinquents in those cities. As well, the Children's Aid Society of Saskatoon operated Kilburn Hall, a receiving home that offered temporary care for children of all ages.

As a result of departmental reorganization in 1951, the Child Welfare Branch was amalgamated with the department's Public Assistance Branch to form the Public Welfare Branch. All of the former branch's responsibilities were transferred to the new branch.

The Child Welfare Branch of the Department of Welfare was established in 1965 to provide programs and services that assisted children and families at risk. Its programs and services included: child protection; adoption; foster care; and assistance for unmarried parents. Programs and services were administered under The Child Welfare Act, and were provided through a network of regional offices throughout the province. The Director of the Child Welfare Branch was O.H. Driedger.

Child protection services addressed reports of child abuse or neglect in homes. Adoption services provided counselling and facilitated planning for the placement of children relinquished for adoption. Adoptions were administered through ward and non-ward agreements. In 1967, the Adoption of Indian and Métis (AIM) program was established to increase efforts in the adoption of First Nations and Métis children. Foster care was provided in situations of temporary or permanent removal of children from their families. Placements for these children included foster homes and children's institutions. Institutions operated by the branch included: Dales House and Kilburn Hall, temporary residences for children; and the Saskatchewan Boys' School, a temporary residence for delinquent boys. The branch also provided subsidies to private societies, religious groups and service clubs which provided residences for the temporary care of children. Services to unmarried mothers included financial assistance, and support in establishing paternity of the children in order to secure financial assistance from the fathers.

As a result of departmental reorganization in 1968, the planning and administration of child welfare programs became the responsibility of the department's Programs Division, while the delivery of child welfare client services became the responsibility of the Operations Division.

The Child and Family Services Division of the Department of Community Resources was established on February 3, 2006. It was responsible for the administration of The Child and Family Services Amendment Act, 2003. The division reported to one of the department's Assistant Deputy Ministers, Shelley Whitehead. Its programs and services provided targeted support for at-risk children, youth and families. Program areas included: child protection and family support services; foster care provided by families throughout the province; adoption and the provision of post-adoption information; teen and young parent welfare; family violence intervention and counselling; and child nutrition education. The division also consulted with child and family services agencies from eighteen First Nations on the provision of child welfare services to families living on reserve.

The Child and Family Services Division was disestablished on November 21, 2007. Responsibilities of the division were transferred to the Child and Family Services Division of the Ministry of Social Services.

The Public Assistance Branch of the Department of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation was established in 1954 as a result of departmental reorganization. The branch was responsible for the administration of: The Social Aid Act; The Old Age Assistance Act; The Blind Persons' Allowances Act; The Disabled Persons' Allowances Act, 1954; The Deserted Wives' and Children's Maintenance Act, 1950; and The Mothers' Allowance Regulations. Programs provided by the division were: social aid; supplemental allowances to old age security pensioners and blind persons; mothers' allowances; old age assistance; disabled and blind persons' allowances; and deserted wives and children's support.

The social aid program was administered jointly by the branch and by municipalities throughout Saskatchewan. Assistance was offered to clients based on a "needs test" evaluation system which ensured that clients were receiving assistance appropriate to their needs. In addition to the program's long-term financial assistance, short-term housing and access to health services were offered to transients. In Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert, the Salvation Army collaborated with the branch and the respective municipalities in the provision of these services. Supplemental allowances were offered through the branch to old age security pensioners and to blind persons who required additional financial assistance. Allowance programs were administered by the branch to mothers, blind and disabled persons and to residents 65 years or older. The allowances were typically a fixed amount offered to qualifying residents on a monthly basis. By 1962, the mothers' allowance program was changed to focus on dependent families. The branch also provided services to deserted wives and children by administrating maintenance orders for support of children where support or payments were not granted to the wives.

The Department of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation was discontinued on April 30, 1965 with the establishment of the Department of Welfare. Responsibility for public assistance programs and services was assumed by the Public Assistance Branch of the new department.

Established in 1978, the Income Security Branch of the Department of Social Services was responsible for the delivery of programs under authority of The Saskatchewan Assistance Act. Income support was administered through the Saskatchewan Assistance Plan (SAP), the province's basic income support program. Funding for the program was shared with the federal government under its Canada Assistance Plan. In addition to income support, the SAP offered welfare services such as counselling, rehabilitation and preventative services to clients in need. The branch also administered two supplemental programs: the Family Income Plan for low-income families with children under the age of 18; and the Saskatchewan Income Plan for residents 65 and older whose incomes were limited to the federal Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement. As well, local appeal boards comprised of departmental staff and local citizens addressed grievances raised by clients about their applications for assistance under the SAP. Decisions of a local appeal board could be further appealed to the Provincial Social Services Appeal Board.

As a result of departmental re-organization in 1979, the Income Security Branch became the responsibility of the department's Income Support and Employment Services Division.

The Child Welfare Branch of the Department of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation was established in 1954 to provide programs and services that assisted children and families at risk. Its programs and services included: child protection; adoption; foster care; the education of blind children (until 1955); and assistance for unmarried parents. Programs and services were administered under The Child Welfare Act and The Education of Blind and Deaf Children's Act, and were provided through a network of regional offices throughout the province. The Director of the Child Welfare Branch was V.M. Parr.

Child protection services addressed reports of child abuse or neglect in homes. Adoption services provided counselling and facilitated planning for the placement of children relinquished for adoption. Adoptions were administered through ward and non-ward agreements. Foster care was provided in situations of temporary or permanent removal of children from their families. Placements for these children included foster homes and children's institutions. Institutions operated by the branch included: Embury House, a permanent residence for emotionally disturbed children (closed in October 1964); Dales House, a temporary residence for children; and the Saskatchewan Boys' School (opened in 1959), a temporary residence for delinquent boys. The education of the province's blind children took place in Ontario at the Brantford School for the Blind. The branch coordinated the placement of students and assumed the cost of their education. Responsibility for the education of blind students was transferred to the Department of Education in April, 1955. Services to unmarried mothers included financial assistance, and support in establishing paternity of the children in order to secure financial assistance from the fathers.

In addition to services offered by department staff, the Children's Aid Society of Saskatoon provided child protection services and supervision of juvenile delinquents in that city. As well, it operated Kilburn Hall, a receiving home that offered temporary care for children of all ages. The Children's Aid Society of Saskatoon ceased operations in 1959, at which time the branch assumed all services provided by the Society.

The Department of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation was discontinued on April 30, 1965 with the establishment of the Department of Welfare. Responsibility for child welfare programs and services was assumed by the Child Welfare Branch of the new department.

The Child and Family Services Division of the Department of Community Resources and Employment was established on April 1, 2003. It was responsible for the administration of The Child and Family Services Amendment Act, 2003. The division reported to one of the department's Assistant Deputy Ministers, Shelley Whitehead. Its programs and services supported child protection, foster care, adoption, teen and young parent welfare, and family violence intervention and counselling. The division also consulted with child and family services agencies from eighteen First Nations on the provision of child welfare services to families living on reserve.

The Child and Family Services Division was disestablished on February 3, 2006. Responsibilities of the division were transferred to the Child and Family Services Division of the Department of Community Resources