The foster care system is a division of the Child Welfare Administration of the department of Social Services of the United States of America. It is a national system under which each state in the country can gain custody of a child, from a number of different ways. A parent or guardian may voluntarily place his or her child in foster care. During a voluntary placement, the parent or guardian temporarily gives up his or her rights to the child. The state then becomes the legal guardian of the child.
Children are place in foster care for a variety of reasons.
Other reasons include incarceration, lengthy hospitalizations, drug abuse rehabilitation or inadequate housing. An alternative manner of admission into the foster care system is through an involuntary placement which occurs when a child is removed from the parent or guardian because he or she is in imminent danger to life or health. A report is made to the Child Welfare Administration of suspected abuse or neglect. Child protective services investigates the report within 24 hours. If the alleged abuse or neglect is confirmed, the child is immediately removed from the home.