Foster care is a system by which a certified, stand-in "parent(s)" cares for minor children or young people who have been removed from their birth parents or other custodial adults by state authority.

Responsibility for the young person is assumed by the relevant governmental authority and a placement with another family found. There can be voluntary placements by a parent of a child into foster care. Foster care is just a short term alternative while on the way to determining one of the three permanent plans for the child. According to Dorsey et al.. , the three permanent plans are:

“Reunification with the biological parent, conversion of the foster home to a legally-permanent guardianship or adoption, or placement of the child into another legally permanent family” (p. 1404).

Foster placements are monitored until the birth family can provide appropriate care or the rights of the birth parents are terminated and the child is adopted. A third option, guardianship, is sometimes utilized in certain cases where a child cannot be reunified with their birth family and adoption is not right for them.

Aspects

Reunification

Reunification with a biological parent is when the child was temporarily removed from the home then reunited back with the biological parent when the state decides the conditions are suitable. This generally includes some older foster children who may be strongly bonded to their family of origin and unwilling to pursue adoption. It also may include cases where children are placed with grandparents or other relatives, where the placement is likely to be permanent but those relatives don't want to fight the birth parents in court.

Voluntary foster care

Voluntary foster care may be utilized in circumstances where a parent is unable or unwilling to care for a child. For instance, a child may have behavioral problems requiring specialized treatment or the parent might have a problem which results in a temporary or permanent inability to care for the child(ren).

From Wikipedia under the GNU Free Documentation License
Tue Sep 8 07:12:40 2009

Is there any foster care companies that pay foster parents a salary other than just reimbursments?
Q. I live in Pennsylvania and my husband and I are interested in becoming foster parents. I currently work a very demanding job therefore I would feel it most appropriate to leave my current job however I would need to make some of that income up. Does any on e know of any foster care agencies that pay a salary adn not just reimbursments for clothing, etc.? Any information would be great! Thanks in advance.
Asked by Nikki - Tue Sep 16 09:58:29 2008 - - 7 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Damn, people are so mean on hear. Shame on them! You can give a local agency and talk to them about it. They are pretty upfront with how much money will be given for the type of child you are looking to foster. It's not nearly as much as a job though. I wouldn't count on looking into fostering to replace the money lost in quitting your job.
Answered by lilyann - Wed Sep 17 21:06:45 2008

How do you adopt through foster care?
Q. Do you have to be a foster parent to adopt through foster care? If you arent a foster parent but want to adopt a child in foster care, how do you go about doing it? Any info or advice is welcome!
Asked by wannaBmom - Thu Mar 6 21:47:56 2008 - - 5 Answers - 0 Comments

A. There are various ways. First, you decide if you want to use an agency or go straight through DHS. You'd have to pay an agency for the homestudy, but it's not nearly as much as adopting an infant, or an international adoption. If you have DHS do your homestudy, it's free. If you decide to use an agency, you can find out which local agencies contract with DHS by calling either the agencies themselves, or DHS. Then, you decide if you want to become a foster parent first. If you choose to foster/adopt, then you need to come to terms with the fact that you don't get nearly as much information about the children before you adopt, and that you could lose the children with no notice. Some of these kids' stories are absolutely heart-wrenchin [cont.]
Answered by Gaia Raain - Thu Mar 6 22:11:54 2008

Is foster care temporarily available for newborns?
Q. My sister is 3 months pregnant, 18 years old, has no help from family,and is trying to get her education. When she has her baby can she put them in foster care for a couple months so she can finish school and get some money saved up?
Asked by ashley j - Mon Apr 13 23:18:08 2009 - - 6 Answers - 0 Comments

From Yahoo Answer Search: "Foster Care"
Sun Aug 2 23:29:23 2009

See also:

  • Fostering ResultsFostering Results
    fosteringresults.org
    Examines federal funding options that can help place foster children in permanent homes, and seeks to improve court oversight of child welfare cases. News and research publications.
  • National Adoption DayNational Adoption Day
    nationaladoptionday.org
    A collective national (USA) effort to raise awareness of the children in foster care waiting to find permanent families.
  • Youth Who Chronically AWOL from Foster CareYouth Who Chronically AWOL from Foster Care
    vera.org
    A study on adolescents who leave foster care without permission. [PDF]
Custom search only Foster Care sites:

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Tue Sep 8 08:31:30 2009
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Thu Sep 3 09:39:48 2009

CPS - A System Out of Control: DSS: Some Parents Don't Care ...
cpsasystemoutofcontrol.blogspot.com
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Brenda

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 01:53:00 GM

If a child has been in . foster care. for 12 months, DSS is required by law to file a termination of parental rights petition, unless a judge makes a finding against such an action. We call it the 12-month clock, Wilson said. ...

Pennsylvania Budget Impasse Affecting Foster Care System
wfmz.com
Pennsylvania Budget Impasse Affecting Foster Care System

unknown

ue, 25 Aug 2009 21:19:12 GM

Pennsylvania's budget stalemate is creating problems for . foster. families across the state. WFMZ's Bo Koltnow reports.

Emily Buss: "Aging Out of Foster Care : An Update on the Chicago ...
law.uchicago.edu
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arester

Sun, 05 Aug 2007 05:00:00 GM

Emily Buss: "Aging Out of . Foster Care. : An Update on the Chicago . Foster Care. Project". in. Faculty Podcast . Foster Care. to Adulthood Other events. Emily Buss is the Mark and Barbara Fried Professor of Law and Kanter Director of ...

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Sun Aug 30 02:46:16 2009