Foster families help children thrive
May is National Foster Care Month. It is a time to highlight the importance of a foster child's "circle of support" - foster parents, family members, child welfare professionals and members of the community working together to ensure children and teens who have experienced abuse and neglect have the support they need to thrive.
Every child needs and deserves to grow up safe and protected from abuse and neglect. Even when youth have experienced adverse childhood experiences, they can overcome and reach their full potential with help and support from a dedicated foster parent. In Illinois, more than 20,000 children are in the foster care system at any given time, and there is a severe lack of foster families to take care of them all.
Private child welfare agencies, like Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois, are continuously working to recruit and license new foster families. Additional foster parents are needed in every Illinois community, especially parents who are willing to care for children with complex needs, sibling groups and teenagers.
Foster families provide a safe, temporary home for children whose parents need time to learn new skills and address safety concerns. The majority of children who enter foster care are able to return to their parents.
"I'm very proud that LCFS leads the state in getting children back home safely and they remain home safely," shared LCFS President and CEO Mike Bertrand. "Our amazing foster families play a vital role in making that happen by building supportive relationship with the children's parents."
LCFS has been caring for children whose parents couldn't, since its founding 150 years ago when it began as an orphanage caring for six children. Today, it is one of the largest foster care agencies in Illinois caring for nearly 2,300 children annually.
"LCFS' child welfare staff guide interested individuals through the foster care licensing process and then provide those families with continued support to ensure they have the resources they require to meet the needs of the children placed in their care," explained Bertrand. "Becoming a foster parent is one of the most powerful ways to change the life of a child."
In order to become a foster parent, you must be at least 21 years old and ready to make a difference in a child's or teen's life at a time when they need someone the most. Foster parents can be married or single, can rent or own their home, can live in the city, suburbs or rural areas, and can be working or retired. The licensing process helps ensure the safety of the home and also provides training to the families to prepare them for what it means to foster.
Ultimately, children and teens in care need more people who are passionate about making a difference in a child's life to step forward and help them thrive by becoming foster parents.
To learn more about becoming a foster parent or get started in the process, contact LCFS at 1-800-363-LCFS (5237) or visit www.lcfs.org/foster.