Foster Care in Child Welfare Services
We provide round-the-clock care for children and young people placed in private families.
Child Welfare Foster Care refers to the care and upbringing of children who cannot remain in their own homes and are placed into foster families. Living with a foster family is always the primary option when a child or adolescent is taken into custody. When placement occurs, we first consider suitable foster families from within the child's existing network.
The ultimate goal of foster care is family reunification, allowing the child to return home whenever possible. This option is regularly assessed during the foster care period in cooperation with the child and their parents. Foster care placements end, at the latest, when the child turns 18.
Foster caregivers have an important, responsible role in providing care in their homes. Foster families are ordinary families specifically trained for this responsibility, and they may also have biological children of their own. Siblings placed in custody are housed together whenever possible. The child's religious, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds are considered when selecting a foster family.
Due to their past experiences, children placed into foster care often need substantial care, attention, and external support, such as psychotherapy. A foster family provides stable, nurturing relationships and a safe environment crucial for a child's recovery and development. Additionally, foster families actively support the child's connections with their loved ones.
During placement, a designated social worker is responsible for safeguarding the child's rights and best interests, promoting participation and social inclusion, arranging necessary services, and supporting both the child and foster family. The social worker develops a personalized care plan with input from the child, their parents, foster caregivers, and other relevant individuals. Regular meetings between the child and their social worker also occur, and the social worker assists the child's parents in accessing rehabilitative services.
The effectiveness of the child's care plan and overall situation is regularly reviewed through home visits and personal meetings with the child. Maintaining contact with family members and other important individuals is supported according to the child's best interests. Foster placements may also be part of open-care support measures or emergency placements, not just long-term care.
