Definition

1. Noun:
   • A family that provides temporary care and a home for a child who is not their own by birth or legal adoption: A "foster family" is a household where adults, often called foster parents, take in and care for a child or children whose biological parents are unable to do so. This arrangement is typically organized and supervised by a government or child welfare agency.

Usage

• A "foster family" provides a safe and nurturing environment for a child in need of care.
• The term is used to describe the family unit as a whole, including the foster parents and any other children in the home.
• It is a formal term used in social work, legal contexts, and general discussion about child welfare.

Examples

• Noun:
  • After the court hearing, the child was placed with a loving foster family.
  • The social worker visits the foster family monthly to check on the child's well-being.
  • They decided to become a foster family to help children in their community.

Advanced Usage

• "to be placed with a foster family": This is a common phrase describing the official action of a child welfare system moving a child into a foster home.
  • The siblings were placed with the same foster family to keep them together.
• "foster family placement": Refers to the specific instance or process of assigning a child to a foster family.
  • The foster family placement was a success, and the child thrived in the new environment.

Variants and Related Words

• Foster parent (n): An individual who acts as a parent in a foster family.
  • Each foster parent in the foster family completed extensive training.
• Foster child (n): A child being cared for by a foster family.
  • The foster family welcomed their new foster child with open arms.
• Foster care (n): The system or overall practice of placing children with foster families.
  • The child spent several years in the foster care system with different foster families.

Synonyms

• Guardian family: A less common term emphasizing the protective role.
• Care family: A general term highlighting the provision of care.

Related Phrases

• Kinship foster family: A specific type of foster family where the caregivers are relatives or close family friends of the child.
  • When possible, a kinship foster family is the preferred placement.

Notes

• The concept of a "foster family" is distinct from adoption. A foster family provides temporary care, whereas adoption is a permanent legal transfer of parental rights.
• The well-being and reunification of the child with their biological family, when possible, is often a primary goal while the child is with a foster family.

Noun

1. the family of a fosterling