Family foster is one of the most effective ways of nursing children. At present, many children welfare institute adopt this kind of nursing mode which combined the concentrated foster in the institute and family foster. As one of the cradle of family foster, based on available geography and human environment, Datong social welfare institute continuously standardizes management, pioneer new ideas, and has found out a way with its own local characteristics which is named as “Datong nursing mode”.

In the past 60 years, there were 3 stage of Datong family foster. The beginning stage is from 1949 to 1964. Datong producing foster institute was found, which signaled family foster work was carried out. On Sep.1st 1959, producing foster institute had been renamed to Datong social welfare institute. At that time, foster work is to inspect periodical and didn’t have quality evaluation to the family and caring. The work belonged to low-level foster mode. But the simple form represent Chinese family foster has taken the initial step.

The developing stage is from 1964 to 1997. During the 33 years, it has formed a net of nursing orphans centred about San Cha Village, Xie Zhuang, Xi Luo Tuo Fang, Shang Yu Jiang, Tang Jia Bao, where the foster families are more and concentrated. Since relocated in 1997, SWI Datong had intered a stage of scientific management and perfessional operation. The disabled children’s medical treatment, education, life condition and assessment of the foster families have improved step by step. Family foster work has been standardized and formed a system centred about “China Foster Mother Village”.

1.Unique culture, geography environment and the special background of the times became the root of Datong nursing patterns.
Datong city located in the northern part of Datong in Shanxi Province, in the border region of Shanxi, Hebei and Inner Mongolia, and ruled by minority in some period of the history. Here is a intersection of Han and other ethnic minorities, where the people are not only hard-working, but also bold, warmth, simplicity, tolerance and generous. In this piece of land many models of foster mother have emerged. They work hard day and night, owe their youth and sweat, and make a monument of the foster field. It has also become the base of unique cultural of foster mother and foster care model.

In such human environment the disabled orphans are more easily to be accepted. Also more and more people join in the foster care works. San Cha village has become the biggest foster site of China Foster Mother Village where nursing the orphan of SWI is proud and accustomed, and has become a way of living. In the whole process of foster care, the children will not be arranged by age stages and will not be changed to another family. It’s a kind of foster mode in “whole life”. In such a stable environment, attachment of infant will be formed. It gives the children more family loves, and improves their physical and mental development and is important for forming social relative. Farmer's hard-working and kind-hearted will give orphans positive influence in the life. The capable orphans can participle all kinds of work. It exercises their basic ability of living and survival. This kind of spirit, not only gives the children families, but also makes the foster care become custom in the village.

2.Cultural heritage of the foster mother from generation to generation is the basis of continuity of Datong nursing mode.
After 60 year baptism Datong nursing mode accumulated a broad and deep culture, and witness great mother’s love such as the simple and unadorned loess. The foster mother from generation to generation engaged in bringing up disabled children this sublime cause, interpret the Chinese nation traditional virtues love the country, dedication, hard work, diligent and frugal, honest and trustworthy, always ready to help others with energy of their lives. There are one to three orphans in every foster family. Furthermore the foster mother of two generation such as mother and her daughter, mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law is common. Girls who see their mother foster the orphans, continue the selfless spirit, and pass on from generation to generation. This spirit which embodies the kindness of the human nature has gone through half century and has been continuously carried forward.

The experience and skills of nursing the disabled children has been passed on together with the spirit of the foster mother. During many years foster practice, the foster mother has accumulated plentiful knowledge and skills of nursing the disabled children. These experience and skills also promote the formation of the foster mother’s culture. The foster mother worked hard to continue the foster mother culture more than 60 years, and has laid a solid foundation for Datong unique nursing mode.

The family is the cell of the society, family harmony is the foundation of social stability. Disabled children’s growth in foster families, good family environment and family love’s gain avoid and reduce a minor crime in society, which has great significance for building a harmonious socialist society.