THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN ENTERING FOSTER CARE HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY SINCE 1965. DESPITE EFFORTS TO REHABILITATE FAMILIES AND TO PLACE CHILDREN FOR ADOPTION, FOSTER CARE TENDS TO BE INTERMINABLE FOR MANY CHILDREN. FACTORS IMPEDING THE CHILDREN'S RETURN TO THEIR OWN HOMES INCLUDE LACK OF PARENTAL RESOURCES AND MENTAL ILLNESS OF PARENTS. OFTEN ADOPTION IS BLOCKED BY THE RELUCTANCE OF THE COURTS TO TERMINATE PARENTAL RIGHTS. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT LONG-TERM FOSTER CARE, WHICH FOR MANY CHILDREN MAY BE INEVITABLE, MIGHT BE MADE CONSIDERABLY MORE DESIRABLE WITH CERTAIN CHANGES. PERMANENT FOSTER PLACEMENT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN STRONG EMOTIONAL BONDS HAVE DEVELOPED BETWEEN CHILDREN AND THEIR FOSTER PARENTS. SUCH A LEGAL ARRANGEMENT COULD ENSURE THE STABILITY AND CONTINUITY OF THE FOSTER PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP. IN ADDITION, THE CONCEPT OF PERMANENT FOSTER CARE COULD BE APPLIED IN CERTAIN CASES IN WHICH ADOPTION IS IMPOSSIBLE OR IN WHICH ABSOLUTE TERMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CHILD AND THE BIOLOGICAL PARENTS WOULD BE UNDESIRABLE. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT THE COURTS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO DEVISE SOLUTIONS TO CUSTODY PROBLEMS WHICH APPROACH THE CONCEPT OF PERMANENT FOSTER CARE. GROWING CONCERN WITH THE RIGHTS AS WELL AS THE DUTIES OF FOSTER PARENTS IS ALSO CITED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED).