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 Vermont, foster care is managed by the Department for Children and Families (DCF) within the Agency of Human Services. The state provides temporary out-of-home care for children who are unable to live with their families due to safety concerns, abuse, neglect, or other family crises. Foster care placements can include living with relatives, known as kinship care, or with licensed foster parents. Other placement options may encompass group homes, residential care facilities, emergency shelters, and supervised independent living for older youth. The goal of foster care in Vermont is to provide a safe, stable, and nurturing environment while working towards family reunification, permanency through adoption, or another planned, permanent living arrangement. The state also ensures that children in foster care receive appropriate education, health care, and social services. If reunification with the biological family is not possible, the state may seek termination of parental rights to allow for adoption or other permanent solutions.