Some 400 delegates are expected at this weekend's Irish Foster Care Association annual general meeting and conference in Bundoran, Co Donegal.
Entitled 'Partnership in Care', the conference will be opened by the Minister of State with responsibility for Children, Mr Brian Lenihan.
Issues affecting foster care such as the impact of government legislation will be discussed and the conference will provide delegates with workshops and training presentations on matters such as safety, access/contact, care planning and attention deficit disorder.
The conference will be attended by a cross section of foster families, social workers, childcare workers and health board administrators.
Also present will be former foster children whose experiences in foster care were monitored by Dr Colette McAuley of Queens University in Belfast. Dr McAuley will examine the outcomes for children monitored by her during their time in the care system in the North.
There are approximately 4,500 children in foster care in the 26 counties and approximately 2,000 foster carers look after them.