{"id":31239,"date":"2026-01-19T07:30:18","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T12:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cisss-at.gouv.qc.ca\/?page_id=31239"},"modified":"2026-01-19T07:30:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T12:30:18","slug":"what-is-a-foster-family","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.cisss-at.gouv.qc.ca\/en\/becoming-a-foster-family-0-17-ans\/what-is-a-foster-family\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a foster family?"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are three types of foster families:<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

A \"regular\" foster family<\/strong><\/h4>\n

This is a living environment that replicates a family setting, available to accommodate one or more children for short, medium, or long-term stays, ranging from a few days to several months or even years. This type of environment is generally dedicated to housing children in difficulty, aiming to meet their needs and offer them a living environment that is as normalized as possible.<\/p>\n

The foster family works closely with professionals at the CISSS de l\u2019Abitibi-T\u00e9miscamingue, as well as with the child's biological parents or legal representative. The goal is to facilitate the child's return to their family when the situation allows. If a return is not feasible, and after an assessment of the situation (such as the child's age, their attachment to the foster family, etc.), the foster family may be asked to make a permanent commitment (long-term placement) to the child, thus ensuring their safety and stability until adulthood.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A \"social emergency\" foster family (temporary accommodation)<\/strong><\/h4>\n

This is a living environment similar to that of a regular foster family, but it intervenes in emergencies outside of office hours, such as evenings, nights, weekends, or holidays. These placements are short-term, generally between 24 and 72 hours. In some situations, the child must be integrated very quickly, sometimes within an hour of the emergency, in order to rapidly assess the situation.<\/p>\n

Although placements typically last between 24 and 72 hours, it is possible for the child to remain with your family beyond this period if you agree, although these are still short-term placements. You also have the option of becoming a regular foster family, offering to care for a child in an emergency situation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A host family with the \"mixed banking\" program<\/strong><\/h4>\n

This is a living environment that initially functions like a regular foster family. This means that, depending on the situation, the child in care maintains contact with their biological family. If the child cannot return to their family of origin, the foster family in the \"Mixed Bank\" program commits to long-term involvement with the child until they turn 18, and to considering adoption if possible.<\/p>\n

Children placed in foster families under the \"Mixed Bank\" program are at increased risk of abandonment by their biological parents or have parents who have significant difficulties meeting their needs.<\/p>\n

For specific information on the adoption process in your region: https:\/\/www.cisss-at.gouv.qc.ca\/adoption\/<\/a><\/p>\n

For more details.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are three types of foster families:   A “regular” foster family This is a living environment that replicates a family setting, available to accommodate one or more children for short, medium, or long-term stays, ranging from a few days …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":31226,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-31239","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is a foster family? - Sant\u00e9 Qu\u00e9bec - Abitibi-T\u00e9miscamingue<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cisss-at.gouv.qc.ca\/en\/becoming-a-foster-family-0-17-ans\/what-is-a-foster-family\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is a foster family? 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