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 Oregon, foster care is managed by the Department of Human Services (DHS), specifically through its Child Welfare 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 is considered a temporary solution with the primary goal of reuniting children with their families whenever possible. When this is not an option, DHS works to find permanent homes for children, often through adoption. Children in Oregon's foster care system may be placed with relatives (known as kinship care), with certified foster families, or in group homes and residential care facilities depending on their needs. Emergency shelters are used for immediate, short-term care, and for older youth, supervised independent living programs may be available to help them transition to adulthood. The state statutes governing foster care in Oregon are found in the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS), and federal laws such as the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) and the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act also influence foster care practices.