In order to be allowed to take in a foster child, foster parents must, in certain cases, obtain a permit under Section 44 of SGB VIII. Obtaining this permit requires going through an application and qualification process. A license under Section 44 of SGB VIII is not required for placement as a foster parent as part of educational assistance provided by the Youth Welfare Office. However, the Youth Welfare Office or the foster care service assesses the suitability of prospective foster parents using the same criteria.

The task of integrating a child who is initially a stranger into one’s own family, providing a long-term or permanent home for the child within that family, and nurturing and raising the child is a demanding one.

The high demands placed on foster parents do not have to—and should not—be met by them alone. Rather, the foster family is part of a support network that possesses pedagogical knowledge, methodological expertise, and many years of experience.

Before beginning their work, foster parents must complete the qualifying courses offered by the foster care service.

A key factor in placing a child in general full-time foster care is a match between the child’s needs and the foster parents’ existing skills and resources. Foster parents providing this type of care are not expected to have professional qualifications in a nursing or educational field.

However, for the placement of a child with special educational needs, a professional or semiprofessional background is expected. In this context, “semi-professional” refers, for example, to prior experience caring for a foster child for a period of at least two years or many years of volunteering to care for and support children and adolescents.

Foster parents can be couples with or without children of their own, as well as single individuals with a stable social network.