The family is the best place for a child to grow. But some children are abused and neglected in their own families. They need someone who can provide them with a safe and supportive temporary home. Foster parents provide care for these children who have been abused and neglected and cannot remain in their own homes.
Foster parents are essential partners of the state's services to children.
Without foster parents there would be no place for some children to learn to feel safe and know what it means to have someone care just because they are there. Children who need foster care may be infants, toddlers, preschoolers, grade school age, or teenagers. They come from many types of backgrounds and families. Many foster children have been emotionally, physically, or sexually abused. As a result, they may have emotional, behavioral, mental, or physical problems.