Care is delivered in private homes with specially trained foster parents.
These programs, which are often funded jointly by child welfare and mental health agencies, are responsible for arranging for foster parent training and oversight. Although the research base is modest compared with other widely used interventions, some studies have reported positive outcomes, mostly related to behavioral improvements and movement to even less restrictive living environments, such as traditional foster care or in-home placement. While therapeutic foster care programs vary considerably, they have some features in common. Children are placed with foster parents who are trained to work with children with special needs. Usually, each foster home takes one child at a time, and caseloads of supervisors in agencies overseeing the program remain small.