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 Ohio, foster care is regulated by the Ohio Revised Code and administered by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS). Foster care serves as a temporary arrangement for children who cannot safely remain with their biological families due to various issues such as poverty, substance abuse, or mental illness. Prospective foster parents in Ohio are required to complete pre-service training, undergo a home study, and meet other state-mandated requirements before they can be licensed to provide care for children. Foster parents receive ongoing support and training, as well as access to resources like respite care and support groups. The primary goal of foster care in Ohio is to reunify children with their biological families whenever possible, and foster parents play a supportive role in this process by facilitating visitations and participating in court proceedings. However, if reunification is not in the best interest of the child, other permanency options such as adoption or kinship care may be pursued.