Foster Families 

Foster care is a service for children who cannot live with their custodial parent(s) or guardian(s) for some period of time. It is increasingly common in SOS Children's Villages. Intended to be short-term, its focus is on returning children home as soon as possible or providing them with a permanent alternative. However, a foster family can in some cases also offer permanent alternative care.

SOS Children’s Villages’ support of foster care differs across countries. In some places foster parents are employed by our organization, such as is the case in Qwa Qwa, South Africa, home to a community-based foster care program.

Foster Families Now Integrated into Community

© B. Dimbleby
Foster mother with boy in Qwa Qwa (South Africa) - Photo: B. Dimbleby
Given the large number of children in rural areas who have lost family members to AIDS, in 2001, SOS Children’s Villages, together with the local authorities, started looking into cost-effective and sustainable ways to offer more children a home. As a result, four foster families now live strongly integrated in the community in houses constructed in line with local building and service standards. As their neighbors, they have for example, an outside toilet and access to pre-paid electricity.

 

 

Training of Foster Parents 

In other contexts, we participate in foster care by providing training of foster parents or by sharing in the costs of the program. In Carinthia, Austria, a partnership between the state and SOS Children’s Villages has led to good results for children in foster care.

Psychologists employed by SOS Children’s Villages help foster parents to monitor the wellbeing and development of the children in their care, offer trainings which foster parents are obliged to attend yearly, and provide mediation between the foster family and the child’s family of origin. Another benefit for the foster families is that the program has led to better recognition of the foster parent model, allowing foster parents to receive social benefits, such as insurance coverage and a pension fund.

Monitoring of Wellbeing of Children

© M. Mägi
Photo: M. Mägi

Psychologists employed by SOS Children’s Villages help foster parents to monitor the wellbeing and development of the children in their care, offer trainings which foster parents are obliged to attend yearly, and provide mediation between the foster family and the child’s family of origin.

Another benefit for the foster families is that the program has led to better recognition of the foster parent model, allowing foster parents to receive social benefits, such as insurance coverage and a pension fund.

Strengthening Foster Care Systems by Transferring Knowledge 

Finally, we are involved in strengthening foster care systems, for instance by transferring knowledge gained in family-based care in SOS families.