Foster children live in family foster homes and group care settings.
T wenty-three counties in Maryland and Baltimore City operate foster care programs. Foster care caseworkers work with the birth and foster families to develop the most appropriate permanency plan for each child. Reunification with parents, placement with relatives, adoption and independent living, in order of priority, are all examples of permanency plans. The foster care caseworker assists the birth and foster families in obtaining the services, such as counseling and health care, needed to meet the goals of the permanency plan. Each foster care program also works to recruit, train, approve and retain foster care providers.