What foster care is — and what it's for
Foster care is a temporary out-of-home placement while a case is worked on. In most CPS cases the goal is reunification — getting your child safely back home. Foster care is meant to keep a child cared for for now; it does not replace you, and it does not end your rights.
A placement is a chapter, not the ending. See How a Colorado CPS case works for where placement sits in the bigger picture.
The kinds of placement
- Kinship / relative care. Colorado gives a strong preference to placing children with a relative or kin who is capable, willing, and available — and the state has been working to place more children with family instead of strangers. Naming relatives early really matters.
- Foster homes. Licensed non-relative families who care for children when kin aren't available.
- Higher levels of care. For children with greater needs, there are therapeutic foster homes and group or residential settings.
The system is also supposed to keep siblings together when possible.
See Your Rights in an Emergency Hearing and For Grandparents & Kinship Caregivers — the sooner relatives are named, the more likely kinship placement becomes.
Who's who while your child is placed
- Foster or kinship caregivers care for your child day to day. They are not the decision-makers about your case.
- The caseworker manages the county's side and coordinates services and visits.
- The GAL or CASA advocates for the child's best interests — not for you.
- You are still the parent, with rights the court has not taken away.
Your rights stay with you
A child being in foster care does not end your parental rights — only a court can do that, through termination. Until then you keep retained rights, which can include notice, a say in medical and educational decisions, and family time. See Retained Medical & Educational Rights.
Family time is the heart of it
Visits — often called family time or parenting time — are one of the most important parts of a case. They keep your bond alive and they show your involvement, which connects directly to reunification. Visits may begin supervised and can expand as a case progresses. Things many parents find help:
- Showing up, on time, every time you're able.
- Being fully present with your child — following any visit rules, keeping it about them.
- Preparing ahead — our Visit Prep Checklist and Court Dates & Deadlines help.
See Staying in Your Child's Life During a Case for more.
Working with the placement, for your child
When it's possible, a cooperative relationship with the caregiver — sometimes started with an "icebreaker" meeting — can make your child's life steadier. Sharing what you know about your child's routines, needs, and comforts helps them feel safe (especially if your child has special needs). Keeping it about your child, not the conflict, tends to serve everyone.
If you have concerns about your child's care
If something about your child's placement worries you, you can raise it. Keep dated notes, tell your caseworker and your lawyer, and know that the grievance routes exist — see When a Caseworker Is Up to No Good and How to File a Complaint That Gets Read. (A dedicated guide on documenting concerns while your child is in foster care is on the way.)