What's the difference?
Q. What is foster care?
Foster care is the full-time, although temporary, care of children until their parent(s) can resume their parenting responsibility, or, if necessary, until another permanent home can be found. Foster parents are not the legal guardians for the children in their care.
Q. What is adoption?
Adoption is the permanent, legal transfer of all parental rights and responsibilities to an adoptive parent(s). Adoption is a lifetime commitment of sharing one’s life with a child as if the child was born into the adoptive family.
Q. Can relatives foster or adopt?
Yes! Relatives are encouraged to become a temporary or permanent placement resource whenever possible.
Q. Can friends foster or adopt?
Yes! Maintaining ties is important for children. Therefore, friends are encouraged to become foster parents. All established requirements for foster care certification must be met.
Foster care is the full-time, although temporary, care of children until their parent(s) can resume their parenting responsibility, or, if necessary, until another permanent home can be found. Foster parents are not the legal guardians for the children in their care.
Q. What is adoption?
Adoption is the permanent, legal transfer of all parental rights and responsibilities to an adoptive parent(s). Adoption is a lifetime commitment of sharing one’s life with a child as if the child was born into the adoptive family.
Q. Can relatives foster or adopt?
Yes! Relatives are encouraged to become a temporary or permanent placement resource whenever possible.
Q. Can friends foster or adopt?
Yes! Maintaining ties is important for children. Therefore, friends are encouraged to become foster parents. All established requirements for foster care certification must be met.