What is a foster family?
A foster family provides care and upbringing to a child who is completely or partially deprived of parental care, as well as to a child who is socially maladjusted. In fulfilling its functions, a foster family is guided by the best interests of the child in its care and respect for the child’s rights.
Are all foster families the same?
No, there are different types of foster families:
- Kinship foster families – a family related to the child (grandparents, adult siblings)
- Non-professional foster families – families connected to the child by a more distant relationship (e.g. aunts and uncles, cousins) or not related to the child at all
- Professional foster families – unrelated to the child, divided into:
- specialist foster families – where socially maladjusted children or children with various disabilities and health problems requiring special care and treatment are placed.
No more than three children may be raised in such a family at the same time - foster families serving as emergency foster care – no more than three children are placed with them for a specified period: until the child’s life situation is stabilized, for a period of four months, but no longer than eight months
- specialist foster families – where socially maladjusted children or children with various disabilities and health problems requiring special care and treatment are placed.
- Family children’s homes – no more than eight children may be placed in them at the same time.
Who can become a foster family?
Both married couples and single people can serve as foster families.
Under Polish law, candidates for foster parents should meet the following conditions:
- they provide a guarantee of properly exercising foster care
- they have not been and are not deprived of parental authority, and their parental authority is neither limited nor suspended
- they fulfill their maintenance obligation where such an obligation toward them arises from an enforceable title
- they are not limited in their capacity to perform legal acts
- their health permits them to provide proper care for a child, as confirmed by a medical certificate
- they obtain a psychologist’s opinion confirming that they have the predispositions and motivation to serve as a foster family
- they permanently reside in the territory of the Republic of Poland
- they have suitable living and housing conditions enabling the child’s individual needs to be met
- they have not been convicted by a final judgment for an intentional crime
- in the case of candidates for a non-professional foster family, at least one person forming the family must have a permanent source of income.
Can foster families count on any assistance?
Of course. A foster family and a person running a family children’s home are entitled, for each child placed in their care, to a benefit to cover the child’s maintenance costs and a child-raising allowance:
- PLN 694.00 per month – for a child placed with a kinship foster family
- PLN 1,052.00 per month – for a child placed with a professional or non-professional foster family, or in a family children’s home
- PLN 500.00 per month – a child-raising allowance for every child under 18 placed in family foster care.
A professional foster family and a person running a family children’s home are entitled to remuneration of no less than PLN 2,000.00 gross per month. A professional foster family serving as emergency foster care is entitled to remuneration of no less than PLN 2,600.00 gross per month.
In addition to financial assistance, foster families may receive psychological and educational support, as well as support from a family foster care coordinator.
Remember that:
- foster care is not adoption
- foster care is provided temporarily
- a child from a foster family may return to their own family, be adopted or become independent
- a child in foster care has special needs and requires attention and affection, patience and understanding
- a child staying with a foster family also needs to maintain bonds with their family.
The most beneficial environment for a child’s development is a well-functioning family of their own. A person’s harmonious development largely depends on the needs being met and the family environment in which they grow up. However, when a child’s own family, despite all forms of assistance provided to it, fails to ensure proper care and upbringing, the child should be provided with substitute care based on the family upbringing model—family foster care.
If you would like to become a foster parent:
- contact the Powiat Family Support Centre in Bolesławiec
- talk to an employee of the Family Foster Care Team
- check whether you meet all the formal requirements
- discuss these plans with your immediate family
- take your children’s opinion into account.
Powiat Family Support Centre in Bolesławiec, 2 Piłsudskiego Square, tel. 75 612 17 82, 88, 89
e-mail: centrum@pcpr.boleslawiec.pl
www.pcpr.boleslawiec.pl.