Northern Childrens Services
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
NORTHERN'S MISSION IS TO SUPPORT THE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH, WHILE STABILIZING THEIR FAMILIES TO BUILD STRONGER COMMUNITIES. EVERYTHING WE DO IS DESIGNED TO CREATE A BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR FAMILIES. WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY CHILD AND YOUTH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO TRANSFORM THEMSELVES - NO MATTER THEIR BACKGROUND OR LIFE SITUATIONS. IF WE INVEST IN THAT POTENTIAL THROUGH SERVICES THAT FOCUS ON CARE, SAFETY, HEALTH, PERMANENCY, INDEPENDENCE, AND POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS, THEN CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND THEIR FAMILIES WILL LEAD HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER LIVES.
- Income
- $19.7 million
- Spending
- $16.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 3.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 66%
- Employees
- 166
- Volunteers
- 15
- Highest pay
- $195,966, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 19% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 17% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 57% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (5)
- $8.3 million spent. Intensive Behavioral Health Services - IBHS provides school, community, and home-based behavioral health services to support children with emotional or behavioral issues that make it difficult for them to function in a standard school setting. Through individual counseling, group therapy, classroom support, and behavior modification techniques, such as role modeling, redirection, coaching, and conflict resolution, our caring IBHS staff help children recognize when they are escalating, control themselves, and move to less intensive levels of care. Northern currently provides IBHS at over 16 schools in the School District of Philadelphia, including charter schools.
- $2.4 million spent. Child/Youth Welfare, Safety and Prevention - Northern's Child Welfare division complements its Behavioral Health division, providing an array of prevention and intervention services to children, youth and families, both off and on our campus - particularly those who have been or are at risk of abuse or neglect. Our programs and policies focus on the protection, care, and healthy development of children and youth. (1) Foster Care - Our Foster Care parents give children and youth (ages 0-21) with varying levels of emotional and behavioral needs the care, love, and nurturing family environment they need. Change the life of a child. Make a difference in your community. Foster Care involves the placement of children and youth in a single or two-parent family. We offer strong support to foster parents and work collaboratively with them to meet the child or youth's needs and provide a safe pathway to permanency. (2) Adoptions - Northern Children facilitates adoptions between loving families and children from infancy to 21-years-old. The children are each in need of safe, supportive and stable environments. (3) Juvenile Justice Supportive Services Program (formerly Reti-Wrap) - This program supports youth at the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center ("PJJSC") School through a collaborative, strength-based process that ensure that the needs of youth are addressed during their time at PJJSC. (4) Youth Promoting Peace Program (YP3) - YP3 engages gender and age-specific groups (ages 14-17 and 18-24) once weekly over 12 week periods. Youth Promoting Peace Program (YP3) engages youth ages 14-24 residing in Philadelphia in activities that aim to decrease exposure to violence and trauma symptoms while building life and leadership skills designed to broaden their experiences, perspectives and possibilities.
- $2.1 million spent. Behavioral Health - The goal of our behavioral health programs is to help children, youth and families achieve and maintain appropriate and positive functioning, which will transfer to community, home, and school environments. Children, youth, and families gain necessary skills through a wide range of therapeutic, structured activities that are provided in a stable, consistent, and interconnected service setting. (1) Early Intervention(EI) - Northern's EI Program is intended to meet the needs of middle and high-school aged youth who are at-risk for drug and alcohol use and abuse. Curriculum-based group psycho-ed and counseling sessions are provided. The program operates in schools, after-school programs, and residential and community-based settings. (2) Outpatient - We serve children and youth up to age 21 with emotional and behavioral symptoms including, but not limited to, depression, impulsivity, hyperactivity, trauma, anxiety, and disruptive behaviors. A multidisciplinary team of child and adolescent psychiatrists and therapists provide individualized emotional, behavioral, and psychiatric support in a safe, caring, and healthy environment using multiple, effective. This program addresses the needs of children, youth, and families, who are experiencing difficulties such as traumatic, academic, emotional, or social stress. The outpatient program offers individual, family and group therapy depending on the needs of the child and youth. Participants will work together with a therapist to work towards overall well-being. (3) Wellness and Resiliency (an IBHS Program) - Wellness is a therapeutic afterschool and all-day summer program for children 8 to 14 years old with behavioral and emotional symptoms including, but not limited to, depression, impulsivity, hyperactivity, anxiety, and disruptive behaviors. The program offers therapeutic services on-site on our beautiful six-acre campus, in the child's home, and during program-sponsored therapeutic community outings. Most students referred for participation in the afterschool and summer youth programs typically display behavioral challenges that manifest as multiple school suspensions, poor academic performance, impulsivity, and difficulty responding appropriately to school structure and authority figures. One of the primary objectives of Wellness is to decrease behaviors that interfere with classroom learning and problem-solving, and in doing so, improve educational outcomes. The program offers group and individual therapy, social skills development, homework help, and tutoring.
- $686,095 spent. Adoption
- $609,186 spent. other social services
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 1943.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.