Introduction. Admission to a foster family may be considered a critical event in a child’s life due to the extent and nature of the diffi culties they experience. Aim. This article aims to analyse the experiences of a child admitted to a foster family, in the context of the theory of critical life events. Materials and methods. This article is based on a subject literature review. Results. The diffi culties experienced by the child beginning a new stage in their life – living in foster care include, fi rst of all, radical changes in the family, school, and local community environments that violate the child’s sense of security, the loss of daily interactions with people that the child is familiar with, and the resulting need to make new relationships. A child’s cognitive attitude to the event of being taken in by a foster family, with its causes and effects, has a particular importance for their reactions (emotional, and behavioural) to it. Conclusions. In order to fully understand the child’s situation and provide effective support, it is necessary to accurately assess the way they experience being admitted to a foster family, as well as their personal resources and defi cits. The main task of a child’s guardian is to create an environment that gives them a sense of security and belonging. The implementation of this task should be conducted in close cooperation with the institutions and people involved in the management of foster care. It is also important to cooperate with people from the environments closest to the child: their biological family, and school.