Objectives:
This article presents the foster care system in the Slovak Republic: its legal framework, organization, forms, and operational processes. The foster care system in Slovakia has undergone significant changes in recent decades, from the dominance of institutional care towards gradual decentralization and the development of family-based foster care systems. These changes are part of a broader European trend of deinstitutionalization and the right of children to be raised in family-like conditions. In the Slovak Republic, the process of transforming the foster care system is based on legislative changes and national and international experience. The presented review is based on legal documents and scientific literature relating to foster care.

Material and methods:
The presented review is based on legal documents and scientific literature relating to foster care.the document analysis method was used.

Results:
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Conclusions:
Following the systemic transformation in Poland (June 4, 1989) and Czechoslovakia (December 31, 1992), a significant increase in risky and problematic behaviors among children and adolescents occurred (Labáth, 2001). The foster care system in most Central and Eastern European countries was institutionalized. Research consistently shows that individuals placed in institutional foster care typically have lower educational qualifications compared to the general population (Little et al., 2005; Gypen et al., 2022; Sousa et al., 2023).