Sometimes children are unable to live at home because their own parents cannot look after them for some reason. If there isn't somebody they can stay with in their wider family such as grandparents or aunts and uncles, they have to be looked after by somebody else. This can be in a children's home but most children who can't live at home with their parents are fostered. This may be for a short time but it can also be for a long time, even until they are grown up or until they are adopted.

Foster families do a very important job looking after children.