Ideally, at-risk children should remain with their actual families whenever possible. Although foster care services offered by the state of Virginia make every effort to keep them together, it is not always possible. Once it is determined that a child must leave the family unit and go into foster care, other services becomes available to them, which are designed to promote child safety and well-being within a nurturing, family environment. Services include: *Placement services; *Teaching independent living skills; *Physical or mental health treatment; *Opportunity for a permanent living situation.