foster care

noun

: a situation in which for a period of time a child lives with and is cared for by a foster parent
children placed in foster care

Examples of foster care in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For Charlene, letting Chris walk puts her at risk of prison time; their son might be sent to foster care. Jesse Raub, The Atlantic, 15 Dec. 2025 Here's a list of some of the facilities in Middle Tennessee seeking people to provide foster care for dogs. Brad Schmitt, Nashville Tennessean, 14 Dec. 2025 More than 3,500 kids live in foster care in Colorado, including about 120 orphans who are entitled to the Social Security benefits of their deceased parents. Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025 The order introduced federal resources to public and private sector partnerships to better support young people in foster care and transitioning out of the system. Greta Bjornson, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025 Scott Matlock, an Idaho native and current fullback for the Los Angeles Chargers, entered Idaho’s foster care system at 13 after the deaths of both of his parents. Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025 Programs include residential and community-based behavioral health services, therapeutic foster care and adoption services, supportive services for homeless young adults, and long-term care for medically complex or terminally ill children. Olivia Evans, Louisville Courier Journal, 10 Dec. 2025 Compared to their peers, Black youth are disproportionately represented in Milwaukee County's foster care system, according to the state’s Putting Families First Data Dashboard, which aggregates data on youth in foster care. Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 9 Dec. 2025 The butterflies pay tribute to Melania Trump’s Fostering the Future, a BE BEST initiative to support young people who have been in foster care. Bart Jansen, USA Today, 1 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foster care was in 1899

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foster care.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foster%20care. Accessed 22 Dec. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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