foster care
Non-permanent family placement
Foster care is a system in which children are placed with substitute families or group homes when their biological parents cannot care for them.
The arrangement is typically temporary, supervised by government agencies, and intended either to reunite children with their families or transition them to adoption.
She spent three years in foster care before being adopted.
Agency employee helping clients
- child welfareProtecting minors' wellbeing
- group homeSupervised shared residence
- home studyLearning outside the classroom
- permanency planningChild welfare placement strategy
residential treatment · state custody · ward of the state · case management · child advocate · intake · placement · reunification
Legal family formation
- reunificationRestoring divided unity
- guardianshipLegal care of another
- adoptive parentsLegal non-birth guardians
- biological parentsThose who conceived you
birth family · waiting child · matching · finalization · open adoption · closed adoption · homecoming · legal custody
Preventing harm or loss
- removalAct of taking away
- shelterProtected place or structure
- refugePlace of safety
- mandatory reportingLegal duty to notify authorities
abuse investigation · emergency custody · child protective services · safety plan · supervised visitation · background check · home inspection · welfare check
Connection or fondness
- bondingForming close connections
- stabilityResistance to displacement
- belongingState of fitting in
- unconditional loveAffection given freely, always
patience · trust-building · routine · consistency · emotional support · guidance · encouragement · affection
Those who protect others
- custodiansThose entrusted with care
- mentorsExperienced advisers to learners
- home studyLearning outside the classroom
- licensingGranting official permission
caseworker
Agency employee helping clients
- child welfareProtecting minors' wellbeing
- group homeSupervised shared residence
- home studyLearning outside the classroom
permanency planning · residential treatment · state custody · ward of the state · case management · child advocate · intake · placement · reunification · aging out
adoption
Legal family formation
- reunificationRestoring divided unity
- guardianshipLegal care of another
- adoptive parentsLegal non-birth guardians
biological parents · birth family · waiting child · matching · finalization · open adoption · closed adoption · homecoming · legal custody · parental rights
safeguarding
Preventing harm or loss
mandatory reporting · abuse investigation · emergency custody · child protective services · safety plan · supervised visitation · background check · home inspection · welfare check · sanctuary
attachment
Connection or fondness
unconditional love · patience · trust-building · routine · consistency · emotional support · guidance · encouragement · affection · safety
guardians
Those who protect others
- custodiansThose entrusted with care
- mentorsExperienced advisers to learners
- home studyLearning outside the classroom
- animal sheltersanimal shelters, no-kill shelters, shelter dogs, shelter staff, shelter volunteers
- Care Servicesbabysitting, pet sitting, house sitting, daycare, childcare
- caregiverscaregiver, parents, carer, mothers, babysitter
- charitiesRed Cross, food bank, food banks, homeless shelter, homeless shelters
- Social Programswelfare office, unemployment benefits, disability benefits, TANF, family allowances
- social servicessocial workers, social work, social services, welfare office, case workers
foster careadoption
Legal family formation
legal adoption · guardianship · permanency · legal guardianship · permanent custody
foster carebirth family
Relatives by blood origin
family of origin · biological parents · nuclear family · blood relatives · reunification
foster caregroup home
Supervised shared residence
orphanage · residential care · institutional care · children's home · boarding school
care, foster, fostering, fostered, fosterer, fosterage, fosterers, foster parent, foster child