Effective date: May 11, 2026
Fostura (“Fostura,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) provides educational information, agency listings, state guide content, and contact tools for people exploring foster care. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, when we share it, and what choices may be available to you.
Information We Collect
We collect information you choose to provide to us, including when you use our contact form or submit an agency correction or update. Depending on the form, that may include your name, email address, topic, message, suggested agency contact details, and any other information you include in your submission.
We also collect limited technical information needed to operate and protect the site. This may include IP address, browser and device data, referrer information, request timestamps, and basic server or application logs. Some anti-spam and rate-limiting tools on the site use hashed IP data rather than storing raw IP addresses in every workflow.
If you are a WordPress administrator, editor, or other logged-in user, WordPress and related plugins may set cookies and collect account-related technical information necessary to keep the site running and secure.
Please do not submit Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, payment card details, bank account information, health records, or other highly sensitive personal information through the site’s general contact tools unless we specifically ask for it through a secure channel.
How We Use Information
We use personal information to operate the site, respond to messages, review agency edits or corrections, improve the quality of directory and guide content, prevent spam or abuse, maintain security, troubleshoot performance issues, and comply with legal obligations.
If you send us a contact message or suggested agency update, your submission may be stored inside our WordPress administrative system and may also generate an email notice to the site administrator so it can be reviewed.
How We Share Information
We do not sell personal information, and we do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. We may disclose information in the following limited circumstances:
- to service providers and vendors that help us host, secure, maintain, or email from the site;
- to administrators, contractors, or reviewers who need access to review submissions or maintain the platform;
- to comply with law, enforce our rights, protect users, or respond to lawful requests; and
- as part of a reorganization, merger, financing, or transfer of site operations, subject to appropriate safeguards where applicable.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
Fostura uses cookies and similar technologies that are reasonably necessary to make the site function, keep administrative sessions secure, remember certain preferences, and support spam prevention and site integrity. If you log in to the WordPress administration area, WordPress will set cookies related to authentication and screen preferences.
Some pages may contain embedded content or links to third-party websites. Those third parties may set their own cookies or collect information under their own privacy notices, and we do not control those practices.
Third-Party Content and Links
Our guides and directory pages may link to agencies, government sources, maps, or other third-party websites. Visiting those sites, loading embedded content from them, or contacting third parties directly is subject to their own terms and privacy practices, not ours.
Data Retention
We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including responding to requests, reviewing agency changes, maintaining records, preventing abuse, and meeting legal, tax, accounting, or security obligations. Administrative records, moderation records, and server logs may be retained for different periods depending on operational need.
Your Choices and Privacy Rights
You may choose not to submit forms or provide optional information, but some features may not work as intended if you do not provide required details.
Depending on where you live, you may have rights under applicable privacy law to request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information we hold about you. California residents may also have rights to know what categories of personal information are collected, used, disclosed, or retained. Because Fostura does not currently sell or share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising, we do not offer a “Do Not Sell or Share” workflow at this time.
You may submit privacy-related requests through our Contact page. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests, and we may deny or limit requests where permitted by law.
Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control
Browsers and devices may offer “Do Not Track” or similar privacy preference signals. Fostura does not currently respond to Do Not Track signals. Because we do not currently sell or share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising, Global Privacy Control is not presently used by us as an opt-out mechanism for data sales or targeted advertising.
Children’s Privacy
Fostura is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted personal information to us, please contact us and we will review and delete the information if appropriate.
Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information. No internet transmission, website, database, or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.
International Visitors
Fostura is operated in the United States. If you access the site from outside the United States, you understand that your information may be processed and stored in the United States or other jurisdictions where our service providers operate.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the effective date above and post the updated version on this page. Your continued use of the site after an update means the updated policy will apply going forward.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us through our Contact page.