Foster care is a protective service to children and their families when families can no longer care for their children. There are many reasons and circumstances that make it difficult for biological families to meet the needs of their children—including poverty, substance abuse, mental illness, homelessness, teen pregnancy, loss of a job, or lack of support from extended family. Unlike birth parents, foster parents receive training before they welcome children into their home, and support from social workers and other professionals throughout the process. Foster parents often also have access to respite care programs, and find support through local organizations, such as churches, and online support groups.

Traditionally, the foster parent’s role was seen as a temporary one—and even today more than half of children who enter foster care are reunified with their birth parents. Foster parents are frequently asked to support these reunification efforts—including facilitating visitations and attending court appearances—and must always be prepared to accept the loss of a child who returns to birth parents or is placed with another relative when that is found to be in the child’s best interest.

In Nevada, foster care serves as a temporary protective service for children when their biological families are unable to care for them due to various challenges such as poverty, substance abuse, mental illness, and other adversities. Foster parents in Nevada are required to undergo training prior to taking children into their care and receive ongoing support from social workers and professionals throughout the fostering process. They also have access to respite care and support networks, including local organizations and online groups. The primary goal of foster care in Nevada is to provide a safe, temporary environment for children with the intention of reunification with their birth parents whenever possible. More than half of the children in foster care in Nevada are eventually reunited with their biological families. Foster parents are expected to actively support reunification efforts, which may include facilitating visitations and participating in court proceedings. They must also be prepared for the possibility of a child leaving their care to return to their birth family or to be placed with another relative if it is in the child's best interest. Nevada's foster care regulations are designed to prioritize the welfare and stability of the child, balancing the need for temporary care with the goal of family reunification or another permanent solution.