Foster care on the Internet: Is there a role for the Internet in assisting with the changing face of foster care into the 21^st century?

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The purpose of this paper is to provide a view and understanding of the nature of the Internet, and the possible benefits in assisting foster caregivers, foster care agencies and persons in out-of-home care.

The Internet has been with us for most of this decade. Its original role was to ensure that computer-to-computer communication proceeded in a decentralised fashion, in the event of catastrophes. Such computer-to-computer communication has become so widespread and we now refer to it as the Internet. Alongside the technological development, has been the development of means of placing information on the web for all to view and its access by anyone connected to the Internet, anywhere. Further, communication between people through the use of e-mail has also developed.