Fosterage facts for kids

Fosterage is when a family raises a child who isn't their own. It's different from adoption because the child's birth parents are still seen as their true parents. In many places today, like Western countries, a system called foster care helps children from difficult family situations. This is usually a temporary arrangement.

Long ago, in many societies, fosterage was a way for powerful families to become friends or allies. They would raise each other's children to create strong bonds, much like arranged marriages were used to connect families. This practice was once very common in places like Ireland, Wales, and Scotland.

Fosterage in Scotland

In the old days in the Scottish Highlands, clan leaders often practiced fosterage. Young boys and girls would go to live with other chiefs' families. This created a special, close relationship, almost like being blood relatives. It helped leaders form strong alliances and promises to help each other.

In 1775, a writer named Samuel Johnson visited the Scottish Islands. He wrote about how fosterage worked there. He saw that a wealthy leader, called a Laird, would send their child to be raised by a tenant or a distant friend. This was considered a great honor for the family taking in the child.

The rules for fosterage could be different in various islands. For example, in Mull, the child's father would send a certain number of cows with the child. The foster family would add the same number of cows. The father would also set aside land for these cows to graze without charging rent. If the cows had calves, half belonged to the foster family and half to the child. When the child returned home, they would bring all the cows back, including those from the father and the foster family, plus half of any new calves. These animals were like a special gift or inheritance for the child.

Children often stayed with their foster families for about six years. The foster family would get milk from the cows and half the calves. This system helped create very strong friendships between families. Samuel Johnson saw how this bond worked when the young Laird of Col was fostered by Macsweyn of Grissipol. Later, when Macsweyn had problems with his landlord, the Laird of Col helped him move to a new farm on his own land.

Fosterage in Medieval Iceland

Fosterage was also very common in the old stories from Iceland, known as the Sagas. When a child was fostered, their original family ties and their right to inherit things were not changed. It wasn't necessary for the child to be an orphan or for their birth father to have passed away. In fact, it was seen as an honor for a birth father if someone else raised his child. Usually, the foster family was of a lower social rank than the birth father.

However, there was an exception in the Njáls saga. In this story, Njál Thorgeirsson, a very important man, fostered Hoskuld, the son of Thrain Sigfusson, after Thrain died in battle.

During the Middle Ages, parts of Ireland, Scotland, and the Hebrides were ruled by Norse people for a long time. It's not fully known which culture first started the custom of fosterage.

Literary Fosterage

In Ancient Ireland, special teachers called ollams would teach children. They might be paid, or they might teach for free. Children would learn a specific skill or trade and were treated like part of the teacher's family. Sometimes, their original family connections were less important after this.

Fosterage in Other Cultures

A similar custom existed in the Caucasus region, called Atalik.