Lake County, Illinois Becomes an Open Foster Home Desert – Let It Be Us Recruits New Foster Families in Partnership with CASA of Lake County, September 17, 2022 in Libertyville, Illinois

At the in-person event, Let It Be Us and the Court Appointed Special Advocates Lake County (CASA) will inform prospective foster parents about the licensing process to become a foster parent or CASA and the day-to-day aspects of advocating and parenting children in foster care. The panel of speakers includes experienced professionals as well as experienced foster parents and CASA advocates. CASA of Lake County provides volunteers for each child and youth in foster care in Lake County. An important volunteer role, training and a community of other CASA’s are involved for each case.

According to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, there are 22,000 children in care, up 30 percent since 2017. Foster parents and CASA’s are needed for cases for children and youth of all ages and stages. Sibling groups, those with special needs, and teens are in particular need of foster homes. 

“Lake County is an “open foster home desert; there simply aren’t enough foster homes available for the number of children who need them,” reports Susan McConnell, executive director of Let It Be Us. “As fast as we can recruit families, new children, many in sibling groups, come into care. We need more in Lake County and surrounding communities as well.”

McConnell added that Let It Be Us plans to use this recruitment event in Lake County as a model for other counties throughout Illinois. Questions may be directed to Susan McConnell at susanmcconnell@letitbeus.org.