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Warning
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Simple English definitions for legal terms
foster care
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A quick definition of foster care:
Foster care is when a child needs a safe place to live because their own home is not safe or their parents can't take care of them. The state takes custody of the child and places them with adults who are licensed to take care of them. These adults might be a family or a group home. The adults have to follow rules to keep the child safe, but the state is in charge of the child. Foster care is supposed to be temporary, and the child usually goes back to their own family when things get better. Sometimes, the child goes to live with a relative or a new family forever. But, some children grow up in foster care and don't have a permanent family.
A more thorough explanation:
Foster care is a system run by the state where a child who is not safe or stable in their home is taken into state custody and placed in the care of licensed adults who are not their parents or guardians. These adults can be in a group home or a private home with a foster family. The caregivers have a legal duty to take care of the child, but the state has legal custody. Foster care is meant to be temporary until the child can be reunited with their parent or guardian or placed with a permanent family.
- A child is removed from their home because their parent is abusing drugs and neglecting them. They are placed in a group home with other children in foster care.
- A child's parent is incarcerated and there is no one else to take care of them. They are placed with a foster family until their parent is released.
- A child's parent voluntarily relinquishes their rights and places them in foster care because they cannot provide a stable home.
These examples illustrate how foster care is used when a child's home is not safe or stable. The child is placed with licensed adults who can provide a safe and stable environment until they can be reunited with their parent or guardian or placed with a permanent family.