Become a Foster Parent
Foster Love, Foster Hope, Foster Today
On any given day in Illinois, there are more than 16,000 children in foster care. About 3,000 of these children are waiting for permanent adoptive homes.
Children are placed in foster care when their parents or guardians are unable to safely care for them. These young people need stable, loving foster homes until they can safely reunite with their families or find a forever family through adoption.
Meet with Hephzibah's team face-to-face!
– Virtual Session: Wednesday, May 13th at 6:00PM
The Hephzibah Foster Care team is hosting a virtual info session for prospective foster parents looking for answers to big questions. Hosted by our Recruitment & Support Specialist Destiny and our Family Assessment Specialist Colleen!
– Open House: Wednesday, May 27th at 6:00PM
Join us at Hephzibah’s 1144 Lake St. office for a meet-n’-greet with Hephzibah’s Foster Care community of case workers, support staff, and other like-minded local families. There will be food, drink, and a host of speakers to keep you as informed as possible throughout this process – we can’t wait to meet you!
...or support foster parents and children with a donation!
Not 100% sure you have what it takes to be a foster parent?
Hephzibah’s free foster parent training, licensing, and 24/7 support resources are with you every step of the way way. Sign up using the form below, or call 708.549.7140 to speak to our staff!
Please note: we only service families in a 25 mile radius from Oak Park.
Hephzibah Foster Parents Share Their Thoughts about Foster Care
Many caring adults who would make great foster parents never act on their desire to help a child in need. Why? Because they’re afraid they won’t measure up. Love that could be shared isn’t — and many foster children go without homes. To give you a better idea of what it’s really like to share your home and your love with a foster child, we’ve polled our most dedicated Hephzibah foster parents. Here’s some of the wisdom they shared:
Foster parents are not in it for the money.
“People who think it’s about the money don’t understand what it takes to help an abused child heal. Our education and training never ends.”
You don’t have to be perfect.
“No matter how bad my day might be, my foster child’s love for me never wavers.”
Single parents can do this.
“You have more support as a single foster parent than you do as a single biological parent because Hephzibah is always there to offer guidance and support.”
Patience works wonders.
“Foster children don’t always understand what’s happening to them or know how to behave, but they’re trying their best to do the right thing. Patience and love can transform these children in amazing ways.”
The whole family can benefit.
“Having a foster child in the house has taught our entire family compassion, generosity and tolerance.”
Foster kids are like other kids.
“Foster kids want to be liked and respected, have friends and feel secure and cared for — just like any other kid.”
You will have enough love to go around.
“What surprised me most about being a foster parent is how much I could love children who weren’t mine by birth.”
The rewards outweigh everything else.
“When children come to us hurting and frightened, it brings us great joy to watch their pain go away, listen to their dreams and see them begin to believe in a better future.”
Foster Care Quick Links
What to Expect as a Hephzibah Foster Parent
The goal for every child who comes to Hephzibah’s Foster Care Program is to start the healing process and prepare them for a return to family life with biological family members or in loving foster and adoptive homes. Hephzibah’s foster parents are specially trained to provide the love, constancy, and support needed to help neglected and abused children heal and learn to trust again. We surround our foster parents with the training and support they need to maintain a healthy, loving and caring relationship and home for all, including:
Potential Placements
Hephzibah will contact you when information about a potential child for your family becomes available based on your preferences identified during the home study process.
In most cases, the child moves to your home after several transition visits. When a child is placed in your home, a caseworker will have in-person contact with you and your child three times a month.
Communication
Hephzibah is committed to having open, honest, productive and respectful communications with all foster parents. Your input is welcomed and appreciated through our frequent phone and email communications, during home visits, at school and clinical staffings, at quarterly check-in meetings and at other appointments. All foster parents are considered integral members of our foster care team.
Participation
Your participation in your foster child’s services is critical. Your involvement in your child’s medical, psychiatric and therapy appointments; school meetings and events; family visits; quarterly check-in meetings; and other appointments is essential for your child’s healing and success.
Supportive Services
Caring for a child with a history of trauma is challenging. To support you and your family as you care for your foster child, we provide a wide array of supportive and therapeutic services, including individual and family therapy, overnight respite care, academic tutoring, educational and juvenile court advocacy, therapeutic mentoring, foster parent trainings, parent support groups, informal foster parent mentoring, family activities, day care assistance, medical and psychiatric referrals and 24/7 on-call emergency support.
Ongoing Training
Hephzibah offers ongoing group and online training opportunities. Books, DVDs and community training opportunities are also available. All Hephzibah foster parents are required to complete approximately 16 hours of training per year.
Financial Support
Depending on the age and level of the child’s needs, foster parents receive a monthly stipend to help cover the cost of the child’s housing, food, clothing, allowance, extracurricular activities, daily necessities and transportation costs. Monthly stipends range between $384 and $1,011.
License Monitoring
A social worker will meet with you to monitor your foster home license every six months, regardless of whether or not a child is currently placed in your home. The social worker will review licensing standards with you and discuss any additional concerns that you may have.
Foster Parent Resources
Accurate Biometrics (fingerprinting)
Chicago Area Families For Adoption (CAFFA)
Child Welfare League of America
DCFS Foster Parent Training Credit Approval Form (TCAF)
Foster Family Home Licensing Standards (Rule 402)
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
National Foster Parent Association
North American Council on Adoptable Children
Resources for Locating Primary Medical Care, Vision Care and Dental Care