Children go into foster care when they cannot live with their mum and dad. When you are in foster care, you go and live with a foster carer. Foster carers are people who have time and space in their homes to take care of children who cannot stay with their own families.
Before you go into care and are fostered by someone you don't know, the Local Authority will see if there is someone in your family or family friends who can look after you. If there is then you might go and live with them. Some children and young people who are in care live with an extended family member or family friend who takes responsibility for looking after you. This is called kinship care. You will still have a Social Worker who will visit you regularly to make sure you are safe and happy.
