Definitions of common terms used by teams working with foster youth.
Foster: Anyone who has ever been in foster care, even if they are reunified, adopted, or age out of care.
Custody: When somebody has custody of you, that means they have the legal right to make important decisions about you, like where you live, what kind of health care you get, and how your education is managed. When you’re in foster care, a judge in court decides who has custody of you.
Relative/kin: In foster care, a relative/kin is somebody you’re related to by blood, marriage, or adoption, somebody who’s significant in your life that you know well, or somebody significant in your life that you’ve lived with before.
CHIPS (Child in Need of Protection or Services): CHIPS is a type of foster care court case where your family and the county or Tribe share custody of you. The goal of a CHIPS case is to help your family make their home safe and healthy so you can live together again.
Voluntary Foster Care: In a Voluntary foster care court case, your family has asked the county or Tribe to share custody with them, to allow you to enter foster care to help with your mental health needs. The goal of a Voluntary case is for your family and the county or Tribe to work together to find a facility you can live in that will help you with your physical or mental health.
Extended Foster Care (EFC): Foster youth can choose to stay in Extended Foster Care from their 18th birthday until they turn 21. If you turn 18 while still in foster care, you can choose to close your foster care case. You can also choose to keep it open until you’re 21 and be in something called Extended Foster Care (EFC). In EFC, you voluntarily share custody of yourself with the county or Tribe, and continue to receive assistance from your case worker as you start your adult life. This can include financial assistance, and the option to live on your own.
Aging Out: If you turn 18 while in foster care, you can choose to close your foster care case. You can also choose to close your foster care case between ages 18-21, if you're in Extended Foster Care. This is called aging out.
