Foster Parenting > The face of foster care

Foster children range in age from infants to 18 years.

• Foster children come from a variety of cultural, racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds.
• Some children are in foster care with the consent of their family, while others are in care by court order. Many of these children are sibling groups.
• The majority of children in foster care have been abused and/or neglected, or are at risk of abuse and neglect. Some children are in care because of family conflict or because a parent is ill. Others have families that cannot provide adequate care, or the necessities of life.
• Many of the children in care have some social, emotional, developmental, and/or physical challenges.
• Many of the children in care are very close to their own families. The children may be in care for varying durations of time and may have regular contact with both immediate and extended families (e.g. visits and/or regular telephone contact).

Eventually, most children return to their families.