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 Idaho, foster care is regulated under state statutes that outline the requirements and procedures for placing children in foster care when their biological families cannot care for them. Reasons for foster care placement include poverty, substance abuse, mental illness, and other circumstances that impede a family's ability to provide for their children. Prospective foster parents in Idaho must undergo training and are supported by social workers and other professionals throughout the fostering process. They may also have access to respite care and support from local organizations and online groups. Foster care is often a temporary arrangement, with a primary goal of reunification with the birth parents when possible. Foster parents are expected to support reunification efforts, which may involve facilitating visitations and attending court hearings. However, they must also be prepared for the possibility that a child may return to their birth family or be placed with another relative if it is in the child's best interest. Idaho's foster care policies are designed to prioritize the welfare and stability of the child, while also supporting the foster parents and biological families involved.