Every year, thousands of foster families across Illinois provide a temporary safe haven for children who have been placed in DCFS care by local courts. DCFS strives to reunite children with their birth families, and nearly half of all foster children are reunified with their families within 12 months. When reunification simply is not possible, as determined by the courts, many foster families choose to adopt the children they have cared for.
What is foster care?
Foster care is a temporary safe haven for children who are at serious risk of harm. When possible, Universal Family Connection works with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and other agencies to work with families to reunite them. When that simply is not possible, the agency will work to find children a permanent, loving home through adoption or guardianship. What kinds of children need foster homes the most? Every child is special, and all children have special needs in addition to the need to feel safe, secure and loved. Universal Family Connection and DCFS is always in need of foster families to meet the needs of:
- Babies born with the HIV (AIDS) virus or with cocaine in their system
- Children with special medical needs
- Brothers and sisters who need to stay together
- Teenage mothers and their babies
- Adolescents
- Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth
- African-American infants
How do you become a foster family?
Foster families come from all walks of life and are needed all across Illinois. Foster parents must be at least 21 years old and can be married, in a civil union, single, divorced or separated.
To ensure your success as a foster parent, prospective foster families are required to:
- Participate in a home inspection and social assessment.
- Complete 27 hours of training focused on foster care and the needs of children who are in foster care.
- Complete a criminal background check of all household members. Be financially stable.
If you are interested in becoming a licensed foster or adoptive parent for the State of Illinois. You have decided to make a significant contribution to aid a child away from home. Please contact our Licensing Team with your contact information and someone from our Recruitment Team will follow up to go over the logistics and the next steps to becoming a licensed foster or adoptive parent.
