There are many types of families. Some kids live with both parents. Others live with either just mom or just dad or go back and forth between their parents' homes. Others might live with a grandparent.
And some kids live with a foster family. In the United States, there are foster family programs where people find kids a safe caring family to live with if they don't have one. What's a foster family? Let's find out.
What Are Foster Families?
The word "foster" means to help someone (or something) grow and develop. It also means to take care of someone's needs. Foster parents, are people — other than a kid's parents — who give a kid a safe place to live and grow. Foster parents take kids into their homes and take care of them for as long as kids need. Together, they become a foster family.
All kids need and deserve someone to take care of them. Kids need a house, a place to sleep, nutritious food to eat, clothes to wear, and toys to play with. Kids also need someone who will take them to the doctor and dentist, make sure they get a bath, and get them up in the morning so they get to school. And just as important, kids need someone who loves them and does not hurt or abuse them.
Most of the time, kids live in homes where they are loved and get all the important things they need. But if a kid's mom or dad can't provide proper care or is hurting or abusing the kid, the state needs to step in and place the child in another home.
Why Do Kids Live With Foster Families?
Most often, a kid goes into a foster family because his or her mom or dad has a problem with drugs or alcohol. Other times, a parent may be very sick, in jail, or have some other trouble. The parents may need so much help with their own problems that they aren't able to focus on what the kid needs. Sadly, kids may be abused or neglected too.
Some kids remain in foster care for a long time, but the goal is to limit the amount of time in a foster family. When possible, the same state agency that runs the foster family program tries to help the family get back together.
A lot depends on whether parents can work out their trouble and be able to take good care of their kid. Sometimes, this doesn't happen. In those cases, a kid may remain in foster care or go to live with another relative.
Who Can Be a Foster Parent?
Not just anyone can be a foster parent. Adults at the foster parent program check out people who want to be foster parents. They need to make sure that foster parents are responsible safe people who will take good care of foster children. Foster parents can be a married couple or a single or divorced person. They can be young or old, with jobs outside the home or not. They can have young children of their own, grown-up kids, or none at all.
Before someone is allowed to care for foster kids, their home is checked, and he or she receives training about being a foster parent. Foster parents sometimes have to pass a written test!
It can be stressful for a kid to leave his or her parent, or parents, and move in with a foster family. Even if there were a lot of problems and unhappiness in the home. Foster parents need to be especially kind people to help kids feel safe and cared for during this stressful and emotional time.