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1. What is foster care?

Today’s foster care system is designed to protect and nurture children and support permanency, most often this is return home, but can also be adoption, placement with relatives, or living independently, but connected with a family. Children in foster care have been removed from their homes because of abuse, neglect, or special family circumstances. Even though this is for the children’s well-being, it is still a difficult time for them. Foster families provide not only a home, but also caring, understanding and guidance. When returning home is not possible, adoptive families provide the permanency every child deserves: a forever family to call their own

2. Who are the children in foster care?

In the City of Roanoke, children in the foster care system and/or available for adoption are of all ages, with a large percentage of youth between 11-18. Some have special needs, medical issues, or academic challenges. All of them are unique individuals with potential, who need an everyday hero, maybe you, to help them. Like all children, they need a safe, stable and nurturing family.

3. Is fostering or adopting just like raising my own children?

Raising a child who is or was in foster care is different from regular parenting. It can be more challenging; kids in care have experienced many hardships. It can be more complex, but foster and adoptive parents are supported as a part of a team; they receive special training, help to meet children’s individual needs, access to medical care for the child and reimbursement for certain expenses. Good foster and adoptive parents know that, above all, this is about selecting families for children who need them, not just about putting children into families who want them. It takes a village to raise a child: our village, more than ever, needs families to help do this.