state wards
Officially fostered children
State wards are individuals, typically children or incapacitated adults, placed under the legal guardianship of a government agency.
The state assumes responsibility for their care, housing, education, and welfare when parents are absent, abusive, or unable to provide.
Most state wards are children in foster care: She spent her teenage years as a state ward after her parents lost custody.
- fosterEncourage development of
- foster careSupervised substitute parenting
- orphanChild whose parents died
- custodyProtective care or control
- guardianProtective caretaker of another
juvenile · at-risk youth · dependent · minor · neglect · child protective services · court · family court · adoption · shelter · group home · caseworker · social worker · placement · institution · welfare · abandoned · vulnerable