Child welfare foster care
We provide round-the-clock care for children and young people placed in private families.
Child welfare foster care refers to care, upbringing and security provided by private families outside the home to children, who have been taken into care or placed as an open care support measure. Foster care is considered a suitable form of placement for some of the children placed, whereas other children are placed in a professional foster home or a child welfare institution. Foster care is the primary option when the child or young person cannot live in the care of their own parents and are taken into care. A child placed in foster care can live in a home-like and safe environment and in care that is supported by close family relationships. There are often a number of reasons why children are placed in foster care, the most common being the parents' substance abuse and mental health problems. Taking a child into care is always valid indefinitely, but expires at the latest when the child turns 18. Foster parenting is an important and responsible task. Due to their difficult experiences, the children need their foster parents to be present and care for them a lot. They also need outside help, for example, in the form of therapy. Permanent and close relationships with the foster family and a safe growing environment have the greatest impact on the child's rehabilitation. The aim is to place siblings in the same foster family to support the connection between the siblings. In addition, the aim is to take the child's religious, cultural and linguistic background into account when choosing a foster family. During the placement in foster care, a social worker is responsible for the child's affairs. The social worker must take extensive care of the realisation of the child's rights and best interests, inclusion, the organisation of services as well as the support provided to the child and family. The social worker also meets the child on a regular basis. The social worker responsible for the child's affairs will draw up a client plan for the child together with their parents, family carers and the child's other network. The situation of the child living in foster care and the implementation of the client plan are monitored on a regular basis. In addition to long-term foster care, the child can also be placed in foster care as an open care support measure or during emergency placement.