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 South Dakota, foster care is regulated under state statutes and is designed as a temporary arrangement for children who cannot be cared for by their biological families due to various challenges such as poverty, substance abuse, mental illness, and other factors. Foster parents in South Dakota 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 community support networks. The primary goal of foster care in South Dakota is to reunify children with their biological parents whenever possible, and more than half of the children in foster care are indeed reunified. Foster parents are expected to actively support reunification efforts, which can include facilitating visitations and attending court hearings. They must also be prepared for the possibility that a child in their care may return to their birth parents or be placed with another relative if it is in the child's best interest. The state's Department of Social Services oversees the foster care system and ensures that the welfare of the children in foster care is prioritized.