Oregon Foster Care

Foster Care in Oregon

Foster parents play an essential role in providing temporary, safe, and nurturing homes to children when their parents are unable to care for them.

Why are children placed in foster care? 

Children are placed in foster care either by order of a court (involuntary) or because their parents are willing to have them cared for temporarily outside the home (voluntary).

An involuntary placement occurs when a child has been abused or neglected (or may be at risk of abuse or neglect) by his or her parent or someone else in the household, or because a court has determined that the child is a "person in need of supervision" or a juvenile delinquent. The court orders the child removed from the home and determines the length of the placement.

A voluntary placement occurs when parents decide that they are temporarily unable to care for their child for reasons other than abuse or neglect. For example, the family is experiencing a serious medical, emotional, and/or financial problem. The parents sign a voluntary placement agreement that lists the responsibilities of the parents and the agency during the child's placement. In the case of a voluntary surrender, however, the parents voluntarily and permanently give up all parental rights and transfer "custody and guardianship" to an authorized agency.

What is the role of a foster parent? 

As a foster parent, you are responsible for the temporary care and nurturing of a child who has been placed outside his or her own home. During a time of disruption and change, you are giving a child a home. At the same time, your role includes working with the caseworker and the child’s family so that the child can return home safely, when appropriate.

The role of the foster parent is to:

Provide temporary care for children, giving them a safe, stable, nurturing environment.

Cooperate with the caseworker and the child’s parents in carrying out a permanency plan, including participating in that plan.

Understand the need for, and goals of, family visits and help out with those visits.

Help the child cope with the separation from his or her home.

Provide guidance, discipline, a good example, and as many positive experiences as possible.

Encourage and supervise school attendance, participate in teacher conferences, and keep the child’s caseworker informed about any special educational needs.

Work with the agency in arranging for the child’s regular and/or special medical and dental care.

Work with the child on creating a Life Book – a combination of a story, diary, and scrapbook that can help children understand their past experiences so they can feel better about themselves and be better prepared for the future.

Inform the caseworker promptly about any problems or concerns so that needs can be met through available services

What is a "permanency plan"? 

As a foster parent, you are a continuing presence in the child's life. You are familiar with the child's personality and emotional and intellectual development since you care for him or her 24 hours a day.

Therefore, you can contribute valuable information about the child as you work closely with the caseworker/agency, participate in meetings about the child, and communicate with the parents. Foster parents are often the main source of information about how a child is adjusting to the separation from home, interacting with other children, and performing in school.