Foster care (also known as out-of-home care) is a temporary service provided by each state for children who cannot live with their families. Children in foster care may live with relatives or with unrelated foster parents. Foster care can also refer to placement settings such as group homes, residential care facilities, emergency shelters, and supervised independent living.

In Montana, foster care is managed by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), specifically through its Child and Family Services Division. This service is intended for children who are unable to safely live with their families due to abuse, neglect, or other serious family issues. Foster care provides a temporary home where children are cared for by either relatives, known as kinship care, or by unrelated licensed foster parents. The state also utilizes other types of placements such as group homes, residential care facilities, emergency shelters, and supervised independent living programs for older youth. The goal of foster care in Montana is to provide a safe, stable, and nurturing environment while working towards family reunification, permanency through adoption, or another permanent living situation. The state statutes governing foster care are found in Title 41 (Children's Services) of the Montana Code Annotated, and these laws are supplemented by federal regulations, including the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) and the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act.