Foster care is a protective service to children and their families when families can no longer care for their children. There are many reasons and circumstances that make it difficult for biological families to meet the needs of their children—including poverty, substance abuse, mental illness, homelessness, teen pregnancy, loss of a job, or lack of support from extended family. Unlike birth parents, foster parents receive training before they welcome children into their home, and support from social workers and other professionals throughout the process. Foster parents often also have access to respite care programs, and find support through local organizations, such as churches, and online support groups.

Traditionally, the foster parent’s role was seen as a temporary one—and even today more than half of children who enter foster care are reunified with their birth parents. Foster parents are frequently asked to support these reunification efforts—including facilitating visitations and attending court appearances—and must always be prepared to accept the loss of a child who returns to birth parents or is placed with another relative when that is found to be in the child’s best interest.

In Delaware, foster care is administered as a protective service for children who cannot be cared for by their biological families due to various challenges such as poverty, substance abuse, mental illness, and other adversities. Foster parents in Delaware are required to undergo training prior to taking children into their care and receive ongoing support from social workers and professionals throughout the fostering process. They may also benefit from respite care programs and support from local community organizations. The role of foster parents is often temporary, with a primary goal of reunification with the child's birth parents when possible. More than half of the children in foster care in Delaware are eventually reunified with their birth families. Foster parents are expected to support reunification efforts, which may include facilitating visitations and attending court hearings. They must also be prepared for the possibility of a child leaving their care to return to their birth parents or to be placed with other relatives if it is in the child's best interest. Delaware state statutes and regulations govern the foster care system, ensuring the safety and well-being of children in foster care while balancing the goal of family reunification.