This text is authored by Judith Martin, co-author of the classic child welfare text with Dr. Alfred Kadushin. The book describes the process of carrying out one of the core child welfare services for families: foster family care. Taking an in-depth look at this service, Foster Family Care moves the reader from the experiences of children and their parents as they first enter care, through the process of “settling in” and confronting the problems that led to the need for placement, to an assessment of the outcomes of care and its consequences for the growing child.

The text offers a thorough review of current literature on foster family care and a critical perspective on this service. A central theme of the text is the concept of quality service delivery; the perspective draws heavily on attachment theory and on practice principles embedded in the concept of permanency planning.