Foster Parent FAQs
Foster Care Offers Hope
Following are some commonly asked questions regarding foster care. If you have questions not covered here, please contact Nancy Silver, Foster Care Support Specialist.
How long does it take to become a Hephzibah foster parent?
Approximately 3-6 months.
Do I have to live in Oak Park?
No. We license foster families that reside within a 25-mile radius of our offices—an area that includes Oak Park, as well as other communities in Chicago and its suburbs.
Do I need to own my own home?
No. Whether you rent or own, you will simply need to provide an adequate space for a foster child that includes a bed or crib, a closet, storage space and some level of privacy.
Do I have to be married to be a foster parent?
No. We license applicants who are single, married, divorced, in a civil union or cohabitating.
Am I too young or old?
To be licensed as a foster parent, you must be at least 21 years of age. There are no other age restrictions. Throughout the licensing process, we will work with you to determine whether foster parenting is the right choice for you at your current stage of life.
What if I have never parented before?
Hephzibah offers a comprehensive array of training and supportive services for foster parents—including supports for first-time parents. Your social worker may recommend additional trainings and offer individualized consultations to help you meet the challenges of first-time parenting.
How much money do I need to make?
Because the monthly stipend from DCFS serves as a supplement and does not always fully cover the needs of a child in your home, the licensing process requires documentation of verifiable income. According to the DCFS Licensing Standards, “The foster family shall have sufficient financial resources to provide basic necessities for themselves and their own children.”
How much money does it cost to become a foster parent?
There is no cost involved. Hephzibah offers all foster parent training, licensing and support free of charge. If you adopt a foster child, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) will cover your adoption costs.
What is specialized foster care?
Hephzibah provides services and support to youth who have significant behavioral and emotional challenges. Because of the severity of their behaviors and mental health needs, which often result from their traumatic histories, these youth require intensive in-home and outside services and frequent monitoring by agency staff.
Where do Hephzibah foster children come from?
All children enter foster care because they have been exposed to abuse or neglect. There is a common misconception that most children in foster care are in orphanages awaiting placement. However, many children are from foster homes that they can no longer reside in, from all areas of the state. Our Foster Care Program receives referrals from our own Hephzibah Home, DCFS and other private agencies and residential treatment programs.
Can I specify age and gender?
Yes. Families often identify the age range or gender of the children they feel most qualified to foster and adopt. After licensure, a social worker will contact you when Hephzibah receives a referral that matches your preferences.
Will I be able to foster siblings?
Yes. When families can accommodate multiple children, and the placement is clinically appropriate, siblings are placed together in foster homes.
Do the children have to transfer schools when they come to my home?
Yes, most children will transfer immediately to your neighborhood school. The child’s caseworker will work with you and the school throughout the process to ensure a smooth transition.
What support is available once a child is placed in my home?
As a Hephzibah foster parent, you will have access to a wide range of supports and services, including staff therapists who will provide individual and family counseling in your home and in our offices, therapeutic mentoring and educational support for your foster child and an emergency on-call service that will give you access to a social worker 24 hours a day, seven day a week. We also offer monthly foster parent training opportunities with dinner and childcare, as well as a foster parent support group that meets three times a month to provide peer support and mentoring.
How can I help support reunification efforts?
One of your most important roles as a foster parent will be to provide emotional support for children who have experienced the loss of their birth parents. You can help your foster child maintain or reestablish relationships with his or her birth parents through phone calls, letters and family/sibling visits. You will also be encouraged to create a life book with your foster child to help provide some context for your foster child’s identity and birth family history.
How do I start the process?
Email Nancy Silver, our Foster Parent Recruitment & Support Specialist. A family assessment specialist will contact you to schedule a home visit, discuss your motivation for fostering and tell you about the specific requirements of our Foster Care Program. If you are good match for our program and you decide to proceed, subsequent steps include a home study, a background check and foster parent training sessions.
What if I start the process and change my mind?
Foster parenting is very rewarding, but it can also be challenging. During the training process, you may come to the conclusion that foster care is not a good fit for your family. Our Foster Care Team will help you sort through your concerns and determine which course of action is best for you. We will be there to support you, regardless of your decision.
Is it possible to adopt a child through foster care?
Yes. Many of the children placed in Hephzibah foster homes will not be able to return home to their birth parents. However, it is important for foster parents to understand that the primary goal of foster care for nearly every child is reunification with the birth family. If reunification efforts are unsuccessful or not in the best interests of a child, foster parents may be asked to consider becoming the child’s “forever family” through Hephzibah adoption.