What is Foster Care?

“Foster” means “to promote growth or development; to care for or cherish”.  A “Foster Parent” is “a person who acts as parent and guardian for a child in place of the child's natural parents”.   Foster parents help children by providing them with stability, affection, consistency, and nurturing. “Foster Care” is defined as “supervised care for children usually in a substitute home”.   Foster care provides a safe, family environment for children who can’t be with their biological families.

Sometimes, biological families aren’t able or are unwilling to provide the care and support children need.  Due to abuse, neglect, or other extenuating circumstances, many children are being placed in “out of home placements”.  Sometimes there is little or no chance a child can return to their parents’ custody, so they need a new permanent home.  Other times, children only need a temporary home until their parents’ situation changes.  No matter what the case, the children need somewhere to stay until a permanent home is possible.  The underlying philosophy of foster care is that children are better off, emotionally and psychologically, in a home environment, with someone filling the role of a parent.

Often children in foster care have complex emotional and behavioral problems.  They need special foster parents who will provide a stable home environment while teaching the children ways to cope and to live a healthier life.