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 Pennsylvania, foster care is regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, which oversees the placement and care of children who cannot safely remain with their families. Children in foster care may be placed with relatives, known as kinship care, or with certified foster parents who are unrelated to them. The state also utilizes various placement settings including group homes, residential care facilities, emergency shelters, and supervised independent living programs for older youth. The goal of foster care in Pennsylvania is to provide a safe, nurturing, and temporary environment for children, with the ultimate aim of reuniting them with their families whenever possible. When reunification is not an option, the state seeks to find permanent homes for children through adoption or legal guardianship. Foster care services are guided by both state statutes and federal laws, including the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) and the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act, which set standards for the safety, permanency, and well-being of children in foster care.