Entering foster care
It is a law that parents must take good care of their children. When a young person is no longer safe or healthy in their family home, people from a government agency in charge of the welfare of children can take over. They remove the child from the unhealthy or dangerous home and place them in a temporary "for a-while" home that is safe and healthy. This placement is called "foster care". If this has happened to you, it can be a very emotional time. It is natural to have many different, sometimes confusing feelings. These emotions are normal and okay to have. Talk to someone you trust about how you are feeling.
Talk to your caseworker about why you are in foster care. It is important for you to know that it is not your fault that you were removed from your home. Here are some reasons children go into foster care:
- Children have experienced physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse or neglect at home.
- The parent or guardian has died or is too sick to care for children.
- There has been a family crisis or big conflicts between family members.
- Parents or caretakers are not able to keep children safe or are otherwise unable to provide the parenting that a young person needs.