Navigating LGBTQ Fostering: Challenges and Hope

  • Foster Parent Education
  • March 6, 2026
In December 2018, Bryceson Sanders was called to the school office during his junior year of high school. Pink hearts were practically circling his head. He'd finally talked to the girl he'd been Snapchatting with for weeks, and he was in love. But his social worker stood waiting. She was checking him out early, and […]
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Foster Care and Adoption: Key Differences Explained

  • Foster Parent Education
  • March 6, 2026
Foster care and adoption both create families for children who need them. But they work in fundamentally different ways, with different goals, different legal structures, and different timelines. Understanding these differences matters if you are considering either path. At Let It Be Us, we help Illinois families navigate both foster care and adoption through foster […]
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How to Support Youth Aging Out of Care

  • Foster Parent Education
  • March 4, 2026
Every year, hundreds of young people in Illinois reach adulthood while in foster care. For many, this transition means leaving behind the structured support of the child welfare system and stepping into independent living without the safety net that most young adults take for granted: family, stable housing, financial security. This moment is not just […]
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Understanding the Vital Role of Respite Foster Care

  • Foster Parent Education
  • March 2, 2026
Every foster parent reaches a point where the weight of daily caregiving starts to press harder than usual. Maybe the child in your care is working through a difficult behavioral phase. Maybe you have a medical appointment you have been putting off for months. Maybe you simply need a weekend to rest and come back […]
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How Long Is the Adoption Process from Foster Care?

  • Foster Parent Education
  • February 20, 2026
Most people want a simple answer, a specific number of months from start to finish, then you bring your child home. But adoption from foster care doesn’t work that way. The honest answer is that most families in Illinois spend 9 to 18 months or longer from their first inquiry to finalization day. That might […]
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How to Effectively Foster Children with Behavioral Issues

  • Foster Parent Education
  • February 18, 2026
Some children need more than a safe place to sleep. They need parents equipped with specialized skills, backed by a clinical team, and prepared to help them heal from experiences that have shaped how they see the world. Therapeutic foster care exists specifically for these children. It pairs specialized training with wraparound services, creating a […]
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Understanding Special Needs Placement: A Comprehensive Guide

  • Foster Parent Education
  • February 16, 2026
You’re considering fostering or adopting a child with special needs. Maybe you’ve heard stories from other foster parents, or you’ve been reading about children waiting for families in Illinois. The term “special needs” keeps coming up, but what does it actually mean in the context of foster care and adoption? Special needs placement isn’t about […]
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Supportive Resources for LGBTQIA Families Fostering Children

  • Foster Parent Education
  • February 10, 2026
Illinois leads the nation in protecting LGBTQIA+ youth and families within foster care. Since 2003, when the state became the first in the country to establish formal LGBTQIA+ youth service policies, Illinois has built one of the most comprehensive support systems anywhere for LGBTQIA+ families who want to foster or adopt. Yet finding your way […]
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My Experience with Emergency Placement: Lessons Learned

  • Foster Parent Education
  • February 7, 2026
Your phone rings at 2:47 AM. A caseworker needs a safe place for a seven-year-old tonight. You have forty-five minutes to decide. This is emergency foster care. No gradual onboarding. No weeks of preparation. Just a child who needs stability, and you. At Let It Be Us, we connect already-licensed foster families with children in […]
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What Resources to Explore When Aging Out of Foster Care

  • Foster Parent Education
  • February 5, 2026
Every year, over 20,000 young people in the United States age out of foster care without a permanent family.[1] In Illinois, that number sits around 700 to 800 youth annually who turn 21 and must navigate adulthood on their own. But here’s what the statistics don’t capture: you don’t have to face this transition unprepared. […]
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Understanding Therapeutic Fostering: Essential Insights

  • Foster Parent Education
  • February 3, 2026
You’ve likely heard about foster care, but therapeutic fostering is something different. It’s designed for children facing significant emotional, behavioral, or developmental challenges that go beyond what traditional foster care can support. These kids have received appropriate therapy and are ready to be placed in a home environment. They need a structured therapeutic environment, skilled […]
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How to Prepare Your Home for Foster Care Placement: A Comprehensive Guide

  • Foster Parent Education
  • February 2, 2026
You've made the decision to become a foster parent. Maybe you've completed the training, or you're close to finishing licensing. Now you're facing the practical reality: a child may arrive at your home within hours or days, and you want to be ready. At Let It Be Us we work with agencies throughout the State […]
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Comprehensive Guide to Foster Care Requirements for Prospective Parents

  • Foster Parent Education
  • January 31, 2026
If you’re exploring foster care in Illinois, you’ve probably encountered contradictory information: some sources make it sound impossibly complicated, while others suggest anyone can do it. Neither extreme tells the complete story. Becoming a foster parent requires meeting specific legal and safety standards, but these requirements exist to protect children, not to exclude qualified families. […]
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How to Understand Covered Expenses When Fostering a Child in Illinois

  • Foster Parent Education
  • January 29, 2026
Many prospective foster parents in Illinois wonder about the financial realities of foster care. You might be asking: Will I need to pay for everything out of pocket? What exactly does the monthly stipend cover? These are legitimate concerns, and understanding the financial support available is crucial to making an informed decision about foster care. […]
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Foster Care vs. Adoption: What's Right for Your Family?

  • Foster Parent Education
  • January 27, 2026
Maybe you've been thinking about bringing a child into your home. Perhaps you've attended an informational session, or a friend shared their fostering story, or you simply feel ready to take this step. Whatever brought you here, you're facing a significant question: Should you foster or adopt? Both paths provide safe homes for children who […]
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Your Guide to Becoming a Foster Parent in Illinois

  • Foster Parent Education
  • January 26, 2026
Maybe you've been thinking about foster care for a while now. Perhaps you saw a child who needed support, or a friend shared their fostering story, or you simply feel called to help. Whatever brought you here, you're taking an important step: learning what it truly means to open your heart and home to a […]
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Successfully Adopt an Older Child: A Life-Changing Guide

  • Foster Parent Education
  • January 23, 2026
You’ve heard the assumptions. Older children are harder to connect with. They come with too much baggage. The bond won’t be the same as raising a child from infancy. You will not be able to enjoy a child’s “first experiences in life.” These fears stop countless families from considering adoption beyond babies and toddlers, yet […]
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The Essentials of Sibling Adoption: Building Stronger Families

  • Foster Parent Education
  • January 23, 2026
Separating siblings is supposed to be the exception. Illinois law protects siblings, placing brothers and sisters together whenever doing so serves their best interests. Yet thousands of sibling groups still wait in foster care, watching families pass them over for single children. The reluctance makes sense on paper. Adopting siblings means more space, more resources, […]
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How to Obtain the Necessary Training to Become a Specialized Foster Home

  • Latest News
  • December 22, 2025
Fostering children who have experienced trauma requires specialized knowledge that goes beyond standard parenting skills. In Illinois, licensed foster parents who would like to become specialized foster parents must complete additional trauma-informed training programs designed to help them understand and respond to the unique needs of children who have survived abuse, neglect, or other traumatic […]
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Comprehensive Guide to Foster Parent Training

  • Latest News
  • December 18, 2025
You’re considering becoming a foster parent. Maybe you’ve attended an informational session, or you’re researching what the process really looks like. The training requirements probably seem overwhelming right now. Here’s the truth: foster parent training isn’t designed to intimidate you. It’s designed to prepare you for some of the hardest and most meaningful work you’ll […]
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Chicago Parent: Meet the woman helping Illinois’ foster children find the families they deserve

  • Press
  • December 1, 2025
In this feature from Chicago Parent, founder and Executive Director Dr. Susan McConnell reflects on how Let It Be Us is reshaping foster care and adoption in Illinois – from recruiting and licensing foster/adoptive families to thoughtfully matching children with forever homes. The article highlights the real-life impact of Let It Be Us’s data-driven, compassionate […]
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Let It Be Us Adoption Summit

  • Latest News
  • November 5, 2025
Recruitment and placement in adoption and foster care play significant roles in the prevention of human trafficking and in 2025 Let It Be Us will expand into Specialized Recruitment to serve this underserved population. 
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CBS News: Chicago Area Nonprofit Aims to Help Foster Kids Find Forever Homes

  • Press
  • July 10, 2025
Today, CBS Chicago spotlighted Let It Be Us following its recent $750,000 contract with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Founded 11 years ago by Dr. Susan McConnell – an adoptive parent and social work expert – the organization leverages innovative technology and personalized matchmaking to find permanent, loving homes for the more […]
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ABC7 WLS Chicago News with Samantha Chatman

  • Press
  • June 2, 2025
During this live interview, Dr. Susan A. McConnell, Founder & Executive Director of Let It Be Us, discussed Let It Be Us, foster care and adoption, the Adoption Listing Service of Illinois, and more. Let It Be Us Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Susan McConnell, appeared on ABC7 WLS Chicago in an interview by Samantha […]
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Authority Magazine: Dr Susan A McConnell Of Let It Be Us: 5 Things You Need To Create A Successful & Effective Nonprofit That Leaves A Lasting Legacy

  • Press
  • April 11, 2025
In this feature from Authority Magazine Dr. Susan A. McConnell, founder and Executive Director of Let It Be Us, shares “5 Things You Need to Create a Successful & Effective Nonprofit That Leaves a Lasting Legacy.” The interview explores how Let It Be Us stays mission-focused, builds strong leadership and sustainable funding, collaborates with stakeholders, […]
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US 99 Chicago’s Melissa and Austin

  • Press
  • April 3, 2025
During this live interview, Dr. Susan A. McConnell, Founder & Executive Director of Let It Be Us, discussed Let It Be Us, foster care and adoption, the Be Mine Gala, and more. About Let It Be Us Let It Be Us is an Illinois 501(c)3 and licensed child welfare agency. The mission of Let It […]
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WCPT 820AM’s “Chew’s Views with Richard Chew”

  • Press
  • April 2, 2025
During this live interview, Dr. Susan A. McConnell, Founder & Executive Director of Let It Be Us, and Kaycee Coles, Board Member, discussed Let It Be Us, foster care and adoption, the Be Mine Gala, and more. About Let It Be Us Let It Be Us is an Illinois 501(c)3 and licensed child welfare agency. […]
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Cook County Chronicle: Connecting Kids to Foster Parents

  • Press
  • December 12, 2024
Carolyne Osterhues’ kids, like all siblings, have their moments. “They have fights over ‘Who ate my Flaming Hot Cheetos?’” the Tower Lakes mom said. “They are the best of friends and worst of enemies.” Unlike most siblings, however, none of them are Osterhues’ biological children. All five of Mark and Carolyne Osterhues’ children, Kyle, Colby, […]
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Working throughout the State of Illinois
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Privacy Policy

Let It Be Us provides collaborative, innovative solutions for effective recruitment and placement within Illinois foster care and adoption, working throughout the State of Illinois.

Let It Be Us serves all children and believes all deserve a loving home. Let It Be Us is open and inclusive of all races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, gender expressions, and gender identities.

Let It Be Us is proud to be recognized by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) All Children All Families Program as a Building Towards Inclusion Child Welfare Agency. Let It Be Us believes LGBTQIA+ identifying foster parents and children in care deserve respect and love, and we do our best to show that in our work.

Want to become a foster and/or adoptive parent?

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