You would be so good at this.

There is a child or teen out there who needs someone just like you. On any given day, more than 390,000 children and teens are in the U.S. foster care system. Through no fault of their own, many of these youth have experienced abuse, neglect or other family challenges and have been removed from their homes by the courts for their safety. Relatives, non-related kin and foster parents provide care and support for these children and teens while they are in out-of-home care.

Learn more about becoming a foster or adoptive parent in these states:

We’re always in need of compassionate foster parents who want to open their home and heart to a child or teen. It’s a meaningful opportunity to find personal fulfillment as you show a youth the love and care they deserve, teach them life skills and give them support. You will experience joy and discover a greater sense of purpose in life. Becoming a foster parent is an opportunity open to people of any relationship status, income level, location or gender identity. Plus, you can foster a child or teen at any stage of life. There are options that work in your life right where you are for exactly who you are. Do you have the heart to help children, teens and families? Say yes, and we will support you every step of the way.

What matters most is how much you care. We have options that work in your life, right where you are – for exactly who you are.

Learn more about becoming a foster parent in your state:

Add Meaning to Your Life, Help Families Safely Reunify

The ultimate goal of foster care is safe reunification. Foster care is a safe place that gives a youth and their birth family an opportunity to resolve conflicts or disruptions and learn healthy skills so the youth can safely return home. Many birth families need help in learning effective parenting skills, overcoming substance use, learning healthy ways to cope with trauma they themselves have experienced, or facing other challenges.

More than half of youth who enter foster care are safely reunited with their birth families. If a child or teen cannot be safely reunited with his or her birth family, the goal becomes to find a permanent home for the child through adoption, relative or kinship care, custodianship (guardianship) or, for older youth, independent living.

When you open your heart as a foster parent, you create room for healing, hope and growth—not just for the child or teen, but for their whole family.

Additional information:

• Foster Parenting: Expectations vs. Reality
• What It’s Really Like to Foster Teens (And Why You Should Do It)
• Fostering Alongside Your Children: Creating Harmony in a Blended Family
• What to Expect as a New Foster Parent: 7 Crucial Aspects to Prepare For
• Say Yes: How to Confidently Decide to Become a Foster Parent
• Financial Planning Tips for First-Time Foster Parents
• Single Foster Parenting: What it’s Like & Why You Can Do It, Too!
• 7 Ways You Can Help a Child in Foster Care (Without Being a Foster Parent)