Different Types of Foster Care
According to the Nebraska Health and Human Services (HHS) System, foster care is a safety service for children when they are unable to remain safely at home. Children are provided with a substitute or supplemental family life experience in an HHS-approved or licensed home for a planned, temporary period of time.The primary goal for children in foster care is to return them to their families.
Foster parents have the responsibility of helping children and their parents achieve this goal.
Types of Foster Care
Traditional: Child behaviors are age-appropriate the majority of the time and the child requires no more or slightly more daily supervision than other children of same age. Child does not have any major health conditions or concerns.
Continuity: Child has behaviors, medical conditions, and/or educational barriers that fall between the minor, age-appropriate level and the moderate/severe level.
Agency-Based: Child exhibits moderate behavioral and/or emotional problems at least daily or severe behavioral and/or emotional problems at least weekly. Child requires a behavior modification plan which entails significant or intensive daily administration by the foster parent(s) and the foster parent(s) must undergo instruction and training to administer the plan. Child has a chronic health condition or physical disability which requires special training and constant monitoring by the foster parent(s) and/or requires special equipment.
Emergency Foster Care: Emergency foster care means being available for immediate placement of a child on a 24-hour basis to serve children in crisis. This care can last a few hours to a maximum of 30 days. These children have been removed from their homes by law enforcement or the courts and need an alternative place to stay while an assessment is made of the home situation. Christian Heritage staff will assist with the placement of and support of these children, but often little information is available at the time of placement. Calls will be made for placement at all times of the day and night.
Fos-Adopt: When there is a possibility that the child may be available for adoption, the foster family accepts the child on a temporary foster care basis, but will adopt if the child becomes legally free for adoption. Though Christian Heritage is not an adoption agency, it can and does facilitate adoption of kids into families through this type of foster care. All ages of children are eligible for fos-adopt, but this is most common with children age 14 and under.
Respite Care: Providing care for a child so that the foster parent(s) can take a break. Children placed through Christian Heritage often need respite care and this can be done in the home of a friend or relative, but background checks must be done first.
Professional Foster Homes: Christian Heritage has six professional foster parent homes where selected licensed foster parents work with children and youth at all levels of foster care. The purpose of these homes is to provide a safe environment in which to equip children and families to live meaningful lives by teaching, modeling and building healthy relationships. Christian Heritage's vision is to see children and youth experience healing and hope.