Foster care is one of the most extensive support measures in child protection work. Foster care measures involve cooperation between the child protection services concerned, the National Agency for Children and Families (BOFS) and the Quality and Supervisory Authority of Welfare (GEV). The role of the National Agency for Children and Families in foster care is defined in the laws related to the institution, and in the Child Protection Act.

There is a foster care team in operation within BOFS, which has the following roles:

Evaluating potential foster parents

When applicants have sent an application to the Quality and Supervisory Authority of Welfare, GEV sends a request for comment to BOFS.

BOFS starts by requesting the view of child protection services in the applicant's home district. From there, the foster care team experts review all the data, and invite applicants to a initial interview where an assessment is made whether they meet the general requirements for foster parents. Applicants who meet those requirements are invited to take part in an online course for foster parents (in Icelandic), where their competence is assessed. After the course, the foster care team experts visit the applicant's home where a review of the situation is conducted as well as a second interview.

When the review is ready, it is sent to the GEV, which decides on whether to approve the application, and informs the applicant and BOFS of its conclusion.

Education and professional support

BOFS provides education to foster parents and holds courses for them. Also, experts from the foster care team distribute information to professionals and support them in their work.

Register of foster parents and foster children

BOFS maintains a register of children in foster care, those who are authorized to take children into foster care, and the children who have been placed in each household. In addition, BOFS has information on the competence of foster parents, and the particular needs of children that they have the ability to meet. The child protection services must send BOFS notification of the conclusion of foster contract and of the termination of foster care, so that it can fulfill its role properly.

Tips about foster homes

Applications for foster care are submitted by the child protection services to BOFS. The applications discuss the specific needs of the child, aspects of his or her life that are important to maintain, and the tasks the foster parents are expected to handle. The children's wishes concerning foster care are also stated.

The application is reviewed by the BOFS team, and a suitable foster home is found based on the application and the information received through communication with the child protection officer in charge of the case. If the request is for payment by the state because of a child's significant behavioral problem, that is assessed separately by the foster care team specialists.

Advice

BOFS plays an advisory and guidance role for the public, welfare services and the government.

The foster care team provides advice on matters where children are in foster care or are likely to need foster care. Professionals and foster parents can get advice from the team's staff regarding all processing of foster care matters, such as whether it is time for a child to go into foster care, as well as about the application process and what documents must be submitted with applications.

Advisors of the foster care team share their work and answer questions, but in cases already being handled by the team, the manager of that specific case provides the advice.

Matters concerning the licensing or supervision of foster parents are addressed by the Quality and Supervisory Authority of Welfare (GEV).

The role of child welfare services in foster care

When support for parents and child has not been successful enough for parents to care for their child, child protection services can house a child outside the home, from as little as three months or for longer periods, up to when to the child is 20 years old. Foster care is therefore never the first option that is considered. Child protection always starts by providing support for the home, parents and children so that they can live at home. However, if for some reason a child needs to go into foster care, it is the child protection services’ role to:

• Decide that the child will be put into foster care

• Enforce and take responsibility for the measure

• Selecting foster parents in consultation with the National Agency for Children and Families

• Make an foster care contract, arrange payments, supervise and support foster parents

• Make an agreement with the school about the education of the child, arrangements and other necessities

• Set guidelines for the communication and contact of the child with parents and other close relatives

When a child has been placed in foster care, the child protection services have a role in assessing and monitoring the quality of the resources and the child's accommodation outside the home:

• Closely monitoring the child’s condition and well-being

• Closely monitoring whether foster care goals are being met

• Gathering the necessary information to carry out this role

• Seeking to be in regular contact with a child in foster care

• Giving the child the opportunity to express his or her feelings in accordance with age and development

• Visiting children at foster homes as often as reasonably possible, but not less than twice during the first year of the measure and once a year thereafter

• Taking appropriate measures for the child, such as terminating the contract of foster care, if it is found that the treatment of the child in foster care is unacceptable, or the circumstances have changed so that it cannot be shown that the child's condition and safety is secured.