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 Utah, foster care is managed by the Utah Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS). This service is intended for children who are unable to safely live with their families due to a variety of reasons such as abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Foster care is considered a temporary arrangement until a permanent solution is found, which could be reunification with the child's family, adoption, or another permanent living situation. Children in foster care in Utah may be placed with relatives, known as kinship care, or with licensed foster parents. There are also other placement options such as group homes, residential care facilities, emergency shelters, and supervised independent living programs for older youth. The state of Utah requires foster parents to be licensed and provides training and support to ensure the well-being of children in foster care. The overarching goal of foster care in Utah is to provide a safe, stable, and nurturing environment for children while working towards a more permanent solution.