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Sometimes it happens that a child cannot be in the care of his/her parents. If his/her safety or well-being is at risk, a court may issue a decision to secure the child by placing him/her in foster care. There are currently more than 70,000 children in foster care, 16,000 of whom are in foster care facilities - or so-called children's homes.

Children under the age of 10, according to Polish law, should be placed in family care. However, this is not always possible due to growing needs and an insufficient number of available families. The chances of ending up in foster care decrease as the child grows older, although adolescence and becoming adult is the time in a person's life when adult’s support is vital. It is also difficult to find foster families who speak foreign languages which is extremely important in the case of foreign children.

An increasing number of children entering foster care have a history of migration.

This is a particularly vulnerable group due to their lack of knowledge of the Polish language, culture, law, but also due to extremely difficult experiences like fleeing the war, the death of the loved ones or traveling alone.

Family foster care is a unique form of assistance that gives children with difficult experiences a chance to develop in a safe environment such as home. To have the care and support of an adult who will take care of his/her needs. To have help and assurance of the most important right - the right to be a child. That is why it is so important that more and more foster families are created. You do not need Polish citizenship to become a foster family - legal residency is enough.

 

WHY DO WE NEED YOUR HELP?

Creating a foster family for foreign children is a unique opportunity to support children in the process of acquiring a new language and integrating into Polish culture. By surrounding them with family support, not only can you provide them with security but also help them develop language and social skills which is a valuable contribution to their adaptation and development.

In addition, welcoming a foreign child into one's home opens the door to cultural exchange. This is an opportunity to build understanding, tolerance and respect for diversity which can result in a number of benefits not only for children but also for caregivers and their families.

To learn more about the qualifications and training process, contact your local foster care organizer - that is, the institution responsible for foster families in the district. This could be, for example, a Regional Family Support Center or the Municipal/Commune Social Support Center. To see who is responsible for foster care in your region, visit: Address database of organizers of family foster care - Warsaw Family Support Center (wcpr.pl).

Foreigners living in Poland can also become foster families. A prerequisite is the completion of relevant training courses organized by the institution responsible for foster families in the district. Individuals with

UKR PESEL can serve as foster families for children with Ukrainian citizenship for a period of 6 months without completing training.

For more information on family foster care, visit the Warsaw Family Support Center website.