Functional responsibility:
The Department of Family and Social Services was responsible for the planning, development, implementation and oversight of public welfare and social services programs in Alberta. The responsibilities of the department fell into eight areas: income support programs; social allowance, income programs for the handicapped, child care, widow's pension and other social assistance payment programs; support services for children: child protection services, handicapped children's services, the Office of the Children's Guardian, and the Office of the Children's Advocate; services for adults and families: prevention of family violence and family mediation programs, women's emergency shelters and shelters for homeless adults, employment support to social allowance recipients, the Office of the Public Guardian, and services to seniors; regional service delivery, through regional and district offices and various facilities; services to adults with developmental disabilities, including residential, rehabilitation and employment support services; oversight of community based services to children, families, and the developmentally disabled; policy and program development; and administrative support, including finance and administration, human resources, information resource management, management services, and legislative services to the department.

The Minister was responsible for the administration of the following acts:

• Department of Social Services Act
• Department of Family and Social Services Act
• Child Welfare Act
• Child and Family Services Authorities Act
• Protection of Children Involved in Prostitution Act
• Personal Directives Act
• Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped Act
• Dependant Adults Act
• Persons with Developmental Disabilities Community Governance Act
• Persons with Developmental Disabilities Foundation Act
• Family and Community Support Act (from February 1, 1990)
• Maintenance and Recovery Act
• Parentage and Maintenance Act
• Senior Citizens' Benefits Act (to 1991)
• Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta Act (to 1991)
• Widows' Pension Act
• Social Care Facilities Licensing Act
• Social Care Facilities Review Committee Act
• Social Development Act
• Metis Betterment Act
• Metis Settlements Act (1996-97)
• Metis Settlements Accord Implementation Act (1996-97)
• Metis Settlement Land Protection Act (1996-97)
• Constitution of Alberta Amendment Act (1996-99)

Predecessor and successor bodies:
The predecessor of the department was the Social Services Division of the Department of Social Services and Community Health. The successors of the department were the ministries of Human Resources and Employment, Children's Services, Health and Wellness, Community Development, and Municipal Affairs. Services to children and families, family and community support services, handicapped children's services and daycare programs were transferred to the Ministry of Children's Services. Services supporting protection of persons in care were transferred to the Ministry of Community Development. Services to adults with developmental disabilities were transferred to the Ministry of Health. Family mediation services were transferred to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. All other functions were transferred to the Ministry of Human Resources and Employment.

Administrative relationships:
The Department of Family and Social Services reported to the Legislative Assembly through the Minister of Social Services (1986-89) and the Minister of Family and Social Services (1989-99). A number of semi-independent agencies reported to the Minister. These agencies were the Social Care Facilities Review Committee (1986-99), Children's Guardian (1986-89), Office of the Children's Advocate (1989-99), Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta (1991), the Office of the Public Guardian (1986-99), and the Persons with Developmental Disabilities Provincial Board (1997-99). Information on these agencies may be found in their respective sous-fonds descriptions.

Administrative Structure:
At the time that the department was created its administration was divided into four main areas, the Senior Citizens' Secretariat and the Appeal and Advisory Secretariat, both of which reported directly to the Minister, the Service Delivery Division, which oversaw the Regional Offices through which programs were delivered to clients, and a number of support branches and the offices of the Public Guardian and Children's Guardian. Throughout the history of the department, the principal administrative divisions were for program delivery, program development and administration, and administrative and financial services for the department.
In 1987, the administrative structure of the support component of the department was reorganized. Human Resources was separated from the other department support branches, which were all placed under the new Resource Management Division.
In 1988 a new branch, the Federal and Provincial Arrangements Branch, was added to the Program Policy Development Division. In 1989, a new office was created within the department.
In 1990 a new division, the Seniors Directorate, was created to bring together all program areas providing services to seniors. In 1991, responsibility for services to seniors (including the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta) was transferred to the Department of Community Development.
In 1992 the first of a number of department-wide reorganizations was implemented as part of the department's goal to make delivery of social services more community-based. Two new divisions were created to manage program areas. The Social Support Services Division became responsible for child welfare, day care, handicapped children's services, services to persons with disabilities, the Office for the Prevention of Family Violence, and the Office of the Public Guardian. The Income Support Services Division became responsible for all income, maintenance, and pension programs. Programs continued to be delivered through the regional offices. Another new division, the Strategic Planning Division, took over the responsibilities of the former Program Policy Development Division. The Division's responsibilities placed greater emphasis on strategic and long-term planning and intra and inter-departmental coordination in policy and program development. The Personnel Services and Resource Management Services Divisions remained unchanged.
In 1993 another reorganization of the department took place. The two program divisions, the Social Support Services and the Income Support Services Divisions were amalgamated into the Program/Policy Division. The Strategic Planning Division became the Issues Management and Community Support Division. The principal focus of the Division became coordinating the development of community-based services and encouraging community ownership of social services. The Division was still responsible for policy analysis, aboriginal and intergovernmental relations, and quality management and assessment.
At this time, the Native Land Claims and Native Services Unit were merged to form the Aboriginal Affairs unit, which reported directly to the Minister. The unit was responsible for working with other provincial government departments to develop government-wide policy to guide the government's relationship with aboriginal Albertans and act as liaison with aboriginal groups. Also in 1993, the position of Commissioner of Services for Children was created. The Commissioner was responsible for consultation with the public and planning and development of the child welfare system in Alberta.
In 1994, the Program/Policy Division was broken up again, this time into the divisions of Children's Services and Adult Services. The Children's Services Division became responsible for development and administration of programs for children and families. The Adult Services Division became responsible for income and employment support programs, the Appeal and Advisory Secretariat, the Office of the Public Guardian, and services to persons with disabilities.
In 1996, the Metis Settlement Transition Commission and Metis Settlements Appeal Tribunal were transferred to the Minister of Family and Social Services. In 1997, these agencies and all Aboriginal Affairs activities were transferred to the Department of Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Beginning in 1997, the department initiated its transition to community-based delivery systems for services to children, families and developmentally disabled adults. Child and Family Services Authority Boards and Community Boards created under the Persons with Developmental Disabilities Community Governance Act were established. These Boards took over the department's responsibilities for service delivery in these areas effective April 1, 1998. These Boards, in conjunction with the Department of Family and Social Services, formed the Ministry of Family and Social Services.
In 1998, the administrative structure of the department was reorganized. This was necessitated by the transfer of delivery of child and family services and services to the developmentally disabled to community-based organizations. Program administration and policy development branches and divisions of the department were reorganized into four new divisions: Community Input and Research Division (responsible for research and liaison with the public), the Social Policy and Strategy Division (responsible for policy and strategy development, intergovernmental relations, legislative planning, and business and process planning), the Standards, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (responsible for creating standards for service providers, monitoring and evaluation of service providers, and the Appeals Secretariat), and the Income and Support Services Division (responsible for income and support programs). This structure remained until the dissolution of the Ministry in 1999.

Names of the corporate body: Department of Social Services (1986-1989)
Department of Family and Social Services (1989-1997)
Ministry of Family and Social Services (1997-1999)

Names of chief officers:
Minister of Social Services:
Constance E. Osterman (May 26, 1986-Apr. 13, 1989)

Ministers of Family and Social Services:
John A. Oldring (Apr. 14, 1989-Dec. 14, 1992)
Norman A. Weiss (Dec. 15, 1992-May 30, 1996)
Stockwell B. Day (May 31, 1996-Mar. 25, 1997)
Lyle K. Oberg (Mar. 26, 1997-May 25, 1999)