Becoming a Foster Parent

On any given day in America, over 550,000 children and youth are in foster care. The goal for over 230,000 of these children is to be reunified with a parent or principal caregiver. These children and youth represent every background, culture, age, and circumstance. What they truly have in common is the need for a safe and stable place to live during a time when they cannot live with their birth parents. If you have thought about sharing your home, time, energy and love with a child, the following questions and answers may be helpful in taking that first step.

The goal for a foster child is to return to his or her birth family whenever it is in his or her best interest. So, if you are interested, primarily, in adoption you can talk with a Catholic Social Services' adoption worker. But, if a foster child has been in your home for some time and becomes available for adoption, you may discuss your interest in adopting the child with your caseworker.

Since the goal is to reunite families when possible, birth parents are encouraged to be involved with their children in foster family care. It is important that both parent and child expect to see each other at prearranged times. Most visits take place in the Catholic Social Services' office or the birth parents' home and are coordinated by a caseworker.

Foster parents receive a monthly check while the foster child is with you. These checks are received at the end of the month for the previous month's expenses.

The State of Illinois furnishes each child with a medical card for necessary medical treatment and preventative medicine. the medical care is, also, accepted for hospital visits and approved prescriptions through recommended physicians and dentists.

It will take at least three to six months to be licensed and trained as foster parents. If you choose not to accept a child, you will have to wait for another child to be referred to your home.

Yes. But, restriction on the child's age may be necessary and satifactory child supervision must be worked out.

Most foster children are frightened and confused by the sudden loss of their parents. Some are angry about poor treatment they have received. Others may see a foster home as punishment. Even babies can be very irritable at first. But, these issues slowly improve as the child begins to trust you.

If your children are well prepared for the coming of a foster child and understand the temporary nature of the stay, issues will be minimized. If your child expects a permanent sister or brother, the foster child's departure can be confusing to him or her. It is a normal for our own children to be jealous of the time and attention you devote to a foster child, just as brothers and sisters can be jealous of a new baby. But, soon, your children will begin to enjoy the company of a foster child.

For more information, please call one of the numbers provided below.

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