foster-child

/'fɔstətʃaild/

Thân thiện

A young foster-child reads a book with her foster mother.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A child raised by foster parents: A "foster-child" is a minor who is cared for and raised by adults who are not their biological or adoptive parents, typically through a formal arrangement with a child welfare agency.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • The couple welcomed a foster-child into their home. (The couple provided a home for a child in the foster care system.)
  • She was a foster-child for several years before being adopted. (She lived with foster parents for a period before a permanent adoption was finalized.)

Advanced Usage

• Legal and Social Context: The term is often used in legal, social work, and child welfare contexts to formally describe the status of a child placed in a foster home.
  • The agency's primary goal is to ensure the safety and well-being of every foster-child.

Variants and Related Words

• Foster parent (n): An adult who cares for a foster-child.
• Foster care (n): The system or service of placing children in the homes of foster parents.
• Foster family (n): A household that includes one or more foster-children.
• Fosterling (n): An archaic or literary term for a foster-child.

Synonyms

• Ward: A person, especially a child, placed under the protection of a legal guardian or the court.
• Charge: A person entrusted to the care of another.

Notes on Usage

• The term is often hyphenated as "foster-child," though the unhyphenated form "foster child" is also common. The hyphenated form emphasizes the word as a single compound noun.
• It is a neutral, factual term. Using "foster son" or "foster daughter" can sound more personal and relational in everyday contexts.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a child who is raised by foster parents

Từ đồng nghĩa

• foster child
• fosterling