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 Nebraska, foster care is a system designed to provide a safe, temporary living situation for children who cannot remain in their family home due to safety concerns, abuse, neglect, or other family crises. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) oversees the foster care program, working with licensed foster parents, relatives, and other caregivers to ensure that children in foster care receive the necessary support and services. Foster care placements can include living with relatives (kinship care), non-relative foster families, group homes, residential care facilities, emergency shelters, and supervised independent living for older youth. The goal of foster care in Nebraska is to provide a stable and nurturing environment for children while working towards family reunification, adoption, or another permanent living arrangement. The state statutes governing foster care in Nebraska can be found in the Nebraska Revised Statutes, specifically in sections pertaining to child welfare and family services.