Foster care is the term for when child protection services assign the responsibility of short- or long-term care for the child to foster parents. Foster care is one of the most extensive support measures in child protection work, and is taken when other interventions are not sufficient. The reasons can be difficulties the child is experiencing, or insufficient upbringing conditions. Foster care is considered as help and support both for the child and its parents. It is an opportunity for the child to recover from difficulties and to grow and thrive.

The child protection services may dispose of a child in foster care when it is known that:

• Parents have relinquished custody or care and approved a foster care measure.

• A ruling has been issued on the authorization to foster a child outside the home when the consent of the parents, and the child as applicable, is not available.

• Parents have been deprived of custody by a court ruling.

• A child is without custody because of the death of the guardian.

• A child has come to Iceland without his/her guardian and is in the care of child protection services or receives international protection or residence permit in Iceland.

The aim of foster care is to ensure the child is raised and cared for in a family environment that is best suited to its needs.

The child should be provided with good living conditions by foster parents and they should show the foster child care and consideration and seek to promote his or her mental and physical development. The foster family is a form of an additional family for a child, but is not intended to replace the family of origin.

A foster agreement is made with the foster parents, wherein their rights and obligations are further specified.

Types of foster care

Temporary care

In temporary foster care the aim is that the child returns to his or her parents after the period of the foster care has ended. The temporary foster care can be from three months to a year, up to a maximum of two years. During this time the child protection service works with the parents to improve the situation so that the child can return to them. A temporary foster contract is not made for a longer period than one year at a time. When a child is to be accommodated in foster care, the initial stage should always be the creation of a temporary foster contract.

Permanent care

Permanent foster care is the placing of a child in foster care until it reaches the age of adulthood. This is done when the circumstances require that the child be raised by a person other than his or her parents. The purpose of such a measure is to ensure that the foster child is provided with appropriate conditions for his or her upbringing, and is given the opportunity to establish a permanent relationship with the foster parents.

Special care and training in the home for severe behavioral problems

If a child assigned to foster care has severe behavioral difficulties due to mental, emotional and other problems, and meets the requirements for accommodation in a treatment home, special care and training may be provided through foster care, rather than placing the child in an institution. This is a temporary foster care measure, with increased payments, where the foster parents commit to an increased care role in helping the child cope with problems, and be able to return to his or her parents. Foster parents in this role have to meet more demands than ordinary foster parents. Foster parents in these cases commit to carrying out specialist services and other provisions of the foster care contract, as well as to attending regular guidance sessions in consultation with child protection services.