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 West Virginia, foster care is a system designed to provide a safe, temporary living situation for children who cannot remain in their family home due to abuse, neglect, or other family crises. The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) oversees the foster care system, working with licensed foster families, relatives, and child care agencies to ensure the welfare of these children. Foster care placements can include living with relatives (kinship care), with licensed foster parents, in group homes, residential care facilities, emergency shelters, or in supervised independent living for older adolescents. The goal of foster care in West Virginia is to provide a stable, supportive environment for children while working towards family reunification, adoption, or another permanent living situation, depending on the best interests of the child.