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 Massachusetts, foster care is administered by the Department of Children and Families (DCF). The system is designed to provide temporary care for children whose families are unable to care for them due to various challenges such as poverty, substance abuse, or mental illness. Foster parents in Massachusetts are required to complete a training program before they can care for children and receive ongoing support from social workers and other professionals. They may also have access to respite care and support from local organizations. Foster care is intended to be a temporary solution, with the primary goal being reunification with the biological family when possible. Foster parents are expected to support reunification efforts, which can include facilitating visitations and attending court hearings. They must also be prepared for the possibility that a child may leave their care to return to their birth family or be placed with another relative if it is in the child's best interest. The state's regulations and support systems are in place to ensure that the welfare of the child is the paramount concern in all foster care arrangements.