Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by vcvrevhq3i. vcvrevhq3i Wonders, “How do foster kids live?” Thanks for WONDERing with us, vcvrevhq3i!

Families come in many shapes and sizes. Some families have two parents and lots of children. Others may be one parent and one child. Still others may include close relatives, step-parents, or other caretakers.

Which members of your family help take care of you? Children need responsible adults in their lives. Their caretakers help them grow up. Unfortunately, birth parents aren’t always able to fulfill those duties. This can be for many reasons. Personal tragedies may result in parents passing away. Some children experience abuse and neglect. Illnesses may also stop parents from being the best caretakers for their children.

What happens when parents are unable to raise their children? Kids can easily find themselves in danger. They might be unable to fend for themselves. They’ll need help finding food, clothing, and shelter.

In these cases, many children find themselves in the foster care system. The word “foster” means helping someone grow and develop. And that’s just what the foster care system does. It’s a temporary solution for children who need a safe place to grow and develop.

Foster parents are people who want to help out children in need. They take children into their homes and take care of them for as long as needed.

The length of time a child spends with a foster family can vary greatly. It could be one night, a few months, or even years. It depends on the cause of the need for foster care. Sometimes, parents are not able to resume care for their child. In these cases, children in foster care may later be adopted by their foster family or another family.

Becoming part of a foster family can be a stressful time for any child. Fortunately, the people who choose to become foster parents are checked out thoroughly. This helps ensure that they can provide a safe, stable home. They also receive special training. This helps them make the big changes easier for their foster children.

When parents need help providing a safe environment for their children, the foster care system can fulfill that need. Each year in the United States, over 800,000 children come in contact with the foster care system. On average, children stay nearly three years in the system. Then, they’re reunited with their parents or adopted.

Do you know anyone who’s lived with a foster family? Maybe you’ve gone to live with a new caregiver yourself. It can be a tough adjustment, but what’s most important is that kids’ needs are being met.

Standards: CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.SL.1

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