What is Foster Care?
Foster care is a state mandated service provided through federal, state and local funds to deliver a full range of services to a child who is abused or neglected as defined by the Code of Virginia (law). These services include casework, treatment and community services. Usually, initial services are aimed at preserving and strengthening families to keep children in their own homes. When a child must be removed from a home and placed in a foster home, the initial goal becomes the provision of services to return the child home.
A foster family home is a private residence (apartment or house) that has been licensed to serve as a temporary setting for children who are dependants of the courts. This home provides a supportive and stable environment for children who cannot live with their biological parents while family problems are being resolved. In most cases, the foster parents work with the Department of Social Services to assist with the reunification of the child with his or her biological family.
Foster care is the temporary placement of a child in a new home away from his or her family due to abuse or neglect. Placement in a foster home protects the child while working with the biological family to help them learn how to be effective parents. In most cases, the goal is for the child to return home to his or her biological family. Children are placed in foster care for various reasons. Some examples include a child who has been abandoned, a child who is a victim of abuse or neglect or a child whose parent is incarcerated or hospitalized.
