What is foster care?
Foster care provides children with a safe and loving home when their families aren’t able to care for them. Children may enter foster care because of abuse, neglect, illness, or crisis at home. The goal is always reunification, which means working to return children safely to their parents. While that happens, foster parents step in to give children stability, care, and support. If reunification isn’t possible, foster parents may also help children move toward adoption or another permanent home. Foster care is about providing love and safety during one of the hardest times in a child’s life.
Foster care is a child welfare service in Virginia that provides a safe, temporary home for children who cannot remain with their birth families. Children may enter foster care because of neglect, abuse, parental illness, substance use, or family crises that make it unsafe for them to stay at home.
The primary purpose of foster care is to protect children while families work toward stability and reunification. Social workers, courts, and service providers support birth families in addressing the issues that led to removal. During this time, foster parents provide day-to-day care, love, and stability. They ensure children attend school, receive medical care, and continue with activities that bring them comfort and growth.
Foster parents are part of a larger team that includes caseworkers, teachers, therapists, and often birth families. Their role is to create a nurturing environment that helps children heal from trauma and maintain hope while their long-term plan is determined.
When reunification isn’t possible, foster care may lead to adoption, guardianship, or kinship care. Foster parents are often considered first for adoption, since they already share a bond with the child.
For those searching online for “What is foster care in Virginia?”, the answer is simple: foster care is a safety net that ensures children have love and stability during uncertain times. It’s about giving children a place to belong, whether that’s for a few days, a few months, or until they find a permanent family.
