Host home and foster care are two types of care that help people in need—though there are some differences between them. Learn more in our blog!
Everyone deserves a safe and stable home filled with love and care, no matter their age.
Some people unfortunately go through more challenges than others—and that’s okay! There are different types of care to help babies, children, teens, and adults live fulfilling lives and continue to thrive.
Two examples of this are host home care and foster care.
They are similar, but there are a few key differences between the two.
Below, we’ll define both types of care and talk about the differences that make both options important.
Host home care is a type of care that helps adults living with disabilities or other special needs maintain as much independence as possible. Host home care is provided by a host family — this host family provides a safe and supportive living space for the adult in need and offers help with daily living activities, such as bathing, dressing, and medication management.
Host home families provide different types of care depending on the needs of the adult, including:
Foster care is for children in need who are unable to live with their biological family. This could be for several different reasons, including:
No matter the reason, children in foster care need all of the same love and care.
Foster care is provided by licensed foster parents who provide a safe and caring home for children and teens in need. Foster care is most often a temporary solution to support children until they are able to reunite with their biological families.
There are two primary differences between both types of care.
The main difference between host home care and foster care is the age of the people in care — host home care is usually for adults with disabilities or other special needs, while foster care is for kids who are unable to live with their biological families.
Host home care is also meant to be provided on a long-term basis, while foster care is intended to be a short-term solution. When children are in foster care, the ultimate goal is to reunite them either with their family or to find an adoptive family as a long term support system.
Every person deserves a bright future—regardless of their age or situation.
Our Foster Care services are committed to placing children in loving homes where they feel valued, safe, and loved. We’re proud to leave our mark on foster care and help nurture children every step of the way.
Keeping children in care within their family is important, and that’s what kinship care provides. Learn more about how kinship care works in our blog!
Foster care and adoption are two important parts of providing children in care with a loving home environment. Learn how they differ in our blog.
For those who want to become foster parents, you’ll need to know the home requirements for foster care. Our guide can help you prepare your home.