If you are considering taking in a foster child in full-time care, you should prepare yourself sufficiently and not make any hasty decisions. Taking in a foster child not only means a number of changes for you, it also affects those around you. Talk to your family and close friends about your intention to take in a foster child and arrange a counselling session with the youth welfare office.

Forms of care

The form of full-time care depends on the intended duration of the help and the particular situation of the foster child:

• temporary full-time care
  The foster child is taken in for a limited period of time, which has been discussed with all parties involved before the assistance begins. The child then returns to their family of origin.
  With this form of care, it is important that you as foster parents maintain and promote contact with the biological parents (for example through mutual visits or weekend or holiday stays by the foster child with their parents).
• permanent full-time fostering
  This form of fostering is a permanent (long-term) placement of the child in a foster family. This means that the foster parents become the child's main carers. Nevertheless, the foster child's relationship with the family of origin should be maintained through appropriate contact, provided there are no serious reasons that jeopardise the child's welfare.
• Family care for children with particularly impaired development
  Children who are particularly impaired in their development have increased educational needs. In order to cater to these special needs, they are placed with foster parents who have educational training or many years of educational experience.

Depending on the situation of the family of origin, a decision is made together with the youth welfare office as to whether the foster child will live with you permanently or for a limited period of time.