Foster care and foster families
The term foster care is used when foster parents are assigned to the long- or short-term care of a child by the child protection services.
Foster care is one of the most extensive support measures in child protection and is used when other interventions are not sufficient. The reasons can be difficulties the child is experiencing, or that the child’s upbringing circumstances are not sufficient.
Foster care is considered to be a help and support both to the child and its parents. Foster care is an opportunity for the child to recover from its difficulties, and to develop and grow.
Types of foster care
Depending on the child’s circumstances, a type of foster care is chosen that is best suited to the needs of the child.
A child is placed in a temporary foster care if it is considered that its situation can be improved within a relatively short period of time, so that the child can return to its parents.
If circumstances require a child to be raised by someone other than his or her parents, he or she will be permanently fostered to ensure appropriate child-rearing conditions until he or she becomes self-sufficient.
If a child has significant behavioral problems, for example due to mental or emotional problems, foster parents can commit to providing special care and training at home. In these cases foster parents have an increased role in helping children manage their problems, as an alternative to having them housed in an institution.
The role of foster parents
Foster parents must go through a formal process and obtain a permit to take a child into foster care. Foster families can be of all sorts, as the circumstances and needs of children are varied.
Foster parents need to be able to provide a child with secure care and safety. They also need to meet the needs of a child who has lived in unsafe circumstances or has had difficulties.
Children needing foster care can be of all ages, but they all have problems and traumas in common. Caring for a foster child can be a challenging but rewarding role.
Foster parents have custody obligations, but do not have formal custody of the child. Foster family can be considered as a form of the child's family, but it is not intended to replace the family of origin.
The role of child protection services
Foster care is a measure that the child protection services can take if it is clear that other interventions are not sufficient. The child protection services then find suitable foster care for the child and make a formal foster care agreement with the foster parents, which provides for their rights and obligations.
In the case of temporary foster care, child protection works with parents to improve the situation so that the child can return to them. In the event of a permanent foster care, temporary measures are first taken.
The Child Protection Services monitor the situation of the child and support the foster parents as needed.
The institutions involved in foster care as well as child protection services are the Quality and Supervisory Authority of Welfare and the National Agency for Children and Families:
The Quality and Supervisory Authority of Welfare receives and processes applications for permission to become foster parents.
The National Agency for Children and Families participates in the evaluation of applicants, provides information to foster parents, and keeps a register of those who are authorized to provide foster care to children.
Child protection services submit an application for foster care for a particular child to the National Agency for Children and Families. It is then processed in consultation with the child protection services and other professional bodies.
Service provider
The National Agency for Children and Families