Foster Care Myths and the Facts in Illinois
- Foster Parent Education
- October 26, 2026
Some of the most common reasons people rule themselves out of foster care are rules that were never written down anywhere. The mortgage, the marriage certificate, the years of parenting experience: in Illinois, none of them appears on the list of requirements. Many myth lists online come from agencies in Pennsylvania, Virginia, or New York, so everything below reflects Illinois rules instead.
These beliefs are common, including among people who have never been near the child welfare system. They also shape how people picture the children. For a child in care, the goal is to return home, and foster parents support that goal by facilitating visits with family members, including siblings. If returning home is not possible and circumstances allow, you may be asked to become their permanent family.
Let It Be Us helps families get ready, preparing and guiding them before and through the licensing process. Complete this form to get started today. To register for a live webinar with Let It Be Us to learn about foster care and adoption parenting opportunities, please visit www.letitbeus.org/events.
Myths About Who Can Foster in Illinois
The Illinois eligibility rules are shorter and more welcoming than most people expect.
"You Have to Be Married"
You do not. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) says foster parents must be at least 21 years old and can be married, in a civil union, single, divorced, or separated [1]. What matters is whether your household can offer safety and stability, and a single parent with a dependable support network can do that well.
"You Have to Be Wealthy or Own Your Home"
Neither is required. DCFS asks that applicants be financially stable, and the Illinois home study standards describe sufficient financial resources to provide basic necessities for yourself and your own children [2]. No income threshold is attached to either, and nothing in those standards requires you to own your home [2], so renting works. Our guide to income requirements to be a foster parent in Illinois explains how stability is assessed.
"You Have to Already Be a Parent"
Prior parenting experience is not on the DCFS list of requirements. Every applicant completes required pre-licensing training, delivered online, and first-time parents bring patience and a willingness to learn.
"You Are Too Old (or Too Young)"
The age rule DCFS states is a minimum: you must be at least 21. Beyond that, the health screening and home study look at whether you can meet a child’s daily needs. Age rules vary by state, so out-of-state figures may not apply here.
"LGBTQIA+ People Cannot Foster or Adopt"
LGBTQIA+ adults foster and adopt in Illinois. The DCFS eligibility language includes civil unions alongside marriage and single applicants, and LGBTQIA+ affirming care training is required for all foster parents. We are recognized by the Human Rights Campaign for LGBTQIA+ inclusion. You can read about our continued commitment with the Human Rights Campaign’s All Children All Families program.
"You Cannot Work Full Time"
Many foster parents work full time. Foster care does bring appointments, visits, and the occasional unplanned day, so it helps to think it through first. Consider whether:
- Your work schedule allows some flexibility for appointments and family visits
- You have people you can call on when a plan changes at short notice
- Your household can adjust its routines during the first weeks of a placement
Your licensing agency can talk through schedules with you.
Become a licensed foster parent through Let It Be Us by completing this form, or visit www.letitbeus.org/events to attend a live webinar.
Myths About the Children in Foster Care
Misconceptions about the children themselves follow them to school and into the homes that welcome them.
"Children in Foster Care Are in Trouble Because of Something They Did"
Children come into care because of concerns about their safety at home. Their own behavior is not the reason. In Illinois, neglect is by far the most common type of substantiated maltreatment among child victims [3]. A national attitudes survey found that many Americans wrongly believe children are placed in foster care because they did something wrong [4].
"Their Parents Are the Bad Guys"
Parents of kids in care are often working through serious struggles of their own. Many of them work toward having their children return home, and that return is what the child is hoping for too. Respectful contact with those parents, when appropriate, helps kids feel less torn between two homes.
"Children in Foster Care Are Damaged or Beyond Help"
Children in foster care have experienced trauma. How that trauma affects each one varies, and some may have special needs as a result. With stability, consistent adults, and trauma-informed care, they grow, learn, and build lasting relationships. The required training exists so you can understand behavior rooted in trauma and respond with calm and patience.
"Teenagers Are Too Old to Benefit"
Teenagers need a family as much as younger kids do, often at a turning point in their lives. In Illinois, youth in care can remain in care until 21, with post-care services available through age 23. We explain more in why it is important to foster or adopt a teen from Illinois foster care.
Myths About Cost, Pay, and Support
"Fostering Will Cost You Money You Do Not Have"
Licensed foster parents in Illinois receive monthly board payments set by DCFS, meant to help cover a child’s basic living expenses. Because DCFS adjusts these rates over time, DCFS and your licensing agency are the right sources for current amounts. Adoption through Illinois foster care is free [5]. Our breakdown of the real cost of adopting a child in Illinois covers the details.
"Foster Parents Do It for the Money"
Board payments are for the needs of the kids in your home, such as food, clothing, and everyday costs. They are not wages. What you receive, explained in how much foster parents get paid in Illinois, depends on factors such as the type of care, and your agency can tell you what applies to a specific placement.
"You Will Be on Your Own"
Support looks different at each stage, and knowing who to call makes a difference.
| Stage | Where support comes from |
|---|---|
| Exploring whether foster care fits | Our free webinars and guidance on choosing an agency |
| Getting licensed | Your licensing agency, with our Foster Care Licensing Support Program preparing and guiding you before and through the process |
| Caring for a child | Your licensing agency and the caseworker |
Once a child is placed with you, your agency will be a resource to you during this time.
Myths About Attachment, Goodbyes, and Reunification
Few myth lists explain reunification or the role foster parents play in it, yet it sits at the center of the work.
"You Will Get Too Attached, So You Should Not Try"
Attachment is what children need from the adults caring for them. Goodbyes can hurt, and we will not pretend otherwise. Grief at the end of a placement is a sign that a child was cared for well, so it helps to plan ahead for who you will talk to and how you will rest.
"Reunification Means the Placement Failed"
When a child returns home safely, the placement did its job. DCFS strives to reunite children with their birth families, and nearly half of children in Illinois foster care are reunified with their families within 12 months [1]. Reunification is also the most common way children leave foster care in Illinois [3].
You actively support reunification for a child if that is part of the child’s plan. That support can include:
- Facilitating visits with family members, including siblings
- Keeping the caseworker informed about how things are going at home and school
- Helping kids hold on to familiar routines, schools, and connections
The foster care reunification process explains each stage in more depth.
"Foster Care Is the Same as Adoption"
Foster care is temporary care while a case moves forward. Adoption creates a permanent legal family, and in Illinois, adoption through foster care requires being a licensed, active foster parent first. Not every young person in care is on an adoption path, either. "Waiting to be adopted" is not an official Children’s Bureau designation; federal reporting instead tracks those with a permanency plan of adoption and those who are legally free [6].
"Foster Parents Are the Ones Who Decide How Long a Child Stays"
The court and the case plan shape how long a placement lasts, and those decisions may change as a case moves forward. Foster parents share what they see day to day with the caseworker. Our guide to how long foster parents keep a child in Illinois covers the timeline.
Myths About the Licensing Process
Licensing can look intimidating from the outside, but the Illinois steps are clear.
"You Have to Be Perfect"
Foster care asks for commitment and a willingness to learn. DCFS lists these requirements:
- A home inspection and social assessment
- A criminal background check of all household members
- Financial stability
- A health screening, including verification that immunizations are up to date
- Required pre-licensing training, delivered online
If you have pets, they must be up to date on their vaccinations as well. Our guide to becoming a foster parent in Illinois walks through each step in order.
"Licensing Takes Years"
Licensing in Illinois typically takes about 3 to 6 months. DCFS does provide licensing, and many families complete licensing through one of the many private child welfare agencies that DCFS has licensed to do that work. Relatives caring for a related child now have a separate path in Illinois, and kinship payments are structured differently. Your licensing agency can explain how that path applies to your family.
"A Past Mistake Rules You Out Automatically"
The home study and background checks look at the whole picture of your household. Some histories do affect eligibility, so it is worth being open with your agency from the start. Our article on what disqualifies you from being a foster parent in Illinois lays out what is reviewed.
"You Can Pick Any Child You Want"
You can talk with your agency about the ages and needs you feel prepared for. Placement decisions start with the young person, though, including keeping siblings together where possible and keeping kids close to their school and community.
Foster Care Myths vs. Facts at a Glance
| Myth | What is true in Illinois | Where to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| You have to be married | Foster parents can be married, in a civil union, single, divorced, or separated | DCFS |
| You have to own a home | Nothing in the home study standards requires owning your home | Your licensing agency |
| You have to be wealthy | Applicants need to be financially stable, with no set income threshold | Your licensing agency |
| You have to already be a parent | Parenting experience is not a requirement; training is | Let It Be Us webinar |
| You are too old or too young | The minimum age is 21 | DCFS |
| You cannot work full time | Many foster parents work; agencies can talk through schedules | Your licensing agency |
| Children in care are in trouble | Children enter care over safety concerns at home, most often neglect | DCFS |
| You will get too attached | Attachment is what children need, and goodbyes are part of supporting reunification | Let It Be Us webinar |
| Licensing takes years | Licensing typically takes about 3 to 6 months | Your licensing agency |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is foster care good for kids?
Children need safe, stable homes and caring adults, and foster care exists to provide that while a family works toward reunification. The system is hard on children at times, and a steady, trauma-informed home helps them feel secure while their case moves forward.
What is the biggest problem with foster care?
Instability is one of the hardest parts. Moving between homes and schools adds stress for children who have already experienced trauma, which is why prepared, committed foster families matter so much.
What are some common myths about adoption?
One is that adoption through foster care is expensive, when adoption through Illinois foster care is free [5]. Another is that you can adopt without fostering first. In Illinois, you must be a licensed, active foster parent, and if you are married, your spouse participates in all adoption requirements. The Heart Gallery of Illinois shares narratives of children and teens hoping for permanent families.
Can I choose which child I foster?
You can tell your agency the ages and needs you feel prepared for, and those preferences inform placement conversations. The needs of each child come first, including keeping siblings together where possible.
Where do I start in Illinois?
Start by learning what foster care involves and asking your questions. To hear from people who know the Illinois process, join Let It Be Us. When you are ready to begin, this form starts the conversation.
Starting Your Foster Care Journey in Illinois
Most of the myths above fall away once you see the Illinois requirements written down. What remains is a real commitment: supporting a child through a hard season, working toward reunification when it is part of the plan, and staying open to permanency if circumstances call for it.
Your foster care and/or foster care adoption journey can start today. Complete this form to take the first step, or join a live webinar to learn more at your own pace.
References
[1] Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. "Foster Care." Illinois DCFS, accessed October 21, 2026. https://dcfs.illinois.gov/loving-homes/fostercare.html
[2] Child Welfare Information Gateway. "Home Study Requirements for Prospective Foster Parents – Illinois." Child Welfare Information Gateway (HHS Children’s Bureau), 2018. https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/home-study-requirements-prospective-foster-parents-illinois/
[3] HHS Administration for Children and Families. "Illinois – Child Welfare Outcomes." HHS ACF Child Welfare Outcomes, FY2020-FY2024. https://cwoutcomes.acf.hhs.gov/cwodatasite/byState/illinois/
[4] Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. "5 Myths About Foster Care Adoption." Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, March 5, 2025. https://www.davethomasfoundation.org/resource/5-myths-about-foster-care-adoption/
[5] AdoptUSKids. "Illinois Foster Care and Adoption." AdoptUSKids. https://adoptuskids.org/adoption-and-foster-care/how-to-adopt-and-foster/state-information/illinois
[6] ACF Children’s Bureau. "Data and Statistics: AFCARS." ACF Children’s Bureau, data as of May 1, 2025. https://acf.gov/cb/research-data/statistics-research/afcars
