Foster care
Foster care in Connecticut is the placement of children with families that have been licensed by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) for long-term care. A "child in foster care", or foster child, means a child residing with an adult who is approved by DCF to stand "in loco parentis" for the child and on whose behalf foster care payments are being made by DCF. There are currently approximately 6,400 children in foster care in Connecticut. These children live in variety of custodial arrangements: foster care, group homes, independent living, medical care, relative care, residential facility, "SAFE" homes and shelters. Most children in foster care are not available for adoption. At any given time there are between 150 and 170 children, within the foster care system, who are ready for adoption.