“Foster care” is the widely-accepted term for a system in which children are temporarily placed in another home or family situation because their parents or guardians can no longer care for them. Children may be placed in foster care for different reasons, ranging from domestic abuse to the death of one or more parents. In some situations, a parent or legal guardian may voluntarily place their child in foster care if they feel they can no longer care for the child to the best of their abilities. In Far from the Tree, Joaquin finds himself in this exact situation.

While foster care is often used to protect children from dangerous homes, the system is deeply flawed and can often result in more trauma for children. According to the Children’s Home Society of Minnesota, approximately 23,000 children “age out” of foster care each year and are never adopted. Of these children who age out, roughly 60% of boys have been convicted of a crime, and 7 out of 10 girls will become pregnant before age 21. About half of all children who age out of foster care will wrestle with substance abuse, and only 3% will earn a college degree while 1 in 5 will become homeless at the age of 18.