What Is Foster Parenting?
Foster care is temporary care for children who, for a variety of reasons, are
unable to live with their birth families. In a typical year, there are about
400 Albany County children in foster care.
Who Are The Foster Children?
 Our
foster children range in age from
newborns to teenagers; most
are young children. This might be
a single child, or a sibling group
of brothers and sisters (ideally,
we try to keep them together).
They
come from a variety of backgrounds,
ethnicities, and family conditions.
Most are “just kids”,
with needs and dreams and hobbies
just like other kids; they enjoy
friends, family and (if old enough)
school. Some have been in situations
of neglect or abuse. Some need special
medical care or counseling. They
yearn for a role model and a loving
home.
Who Are The Foster Parents?
 People just like you. People with
a big heart, who want to help kids
get a second chance during difficult
times. You can be an adult of any
age and background, with a wide range
of family and housing situations,
as outlined on the following pages.
You’ll also learn about our
reimbursement program, to help with
the expenses of caring for foster
children. We need more foster parents,
so that we can keep these kids closer
to their home neighborhood, school
and friends.
What Is The Goal?
 The goal of most foster placements
is to provide care and love to the
child until his or her family is
ready to be reunited. It takes a
special person to be able to open
your heart and your home to a child,
and eventually return them to their
birth family. But in return, you
can get the deep satisfaction of
knowing you’ve made a real
difference in the life of a young
child. On the next page, you’ll
discover some good reasons for you
to become a foster parent.
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