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 child.

As of August 2025, 16,919 children in Illinois are in out-of-home care placements, waiting for safe, loving homes [1]. Each one is a real child with their own story, their own strengths, their own need for someone who believes in them. Becoming a foster parent is more accessible than you might think, and you don't have to do it alone.

What Is Foster Care in Illinois?

Foster care provides temporary, safe homes for children who cannot stay with their biological families due to safety concerns. When the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) determines a child needs protection, that child is placed with a licensed foster family. During this time, DCFS works toward reunifying the family whenever it is safe to do so. When reunification is not possible, the focus shifts to finding the child a permanent home through adoption.

Children in foster care come from every background imaginable. They range from infants to young adults. Some placements last days. Others last months or even years.

The Current Need

As of August 2025, Illinois has:

16,919 children in DCFS care
6,836 children in traditional foster homes
8,902 children placed with relatives
Remainder in other placement settings

Illinois is making progress. The number of children in care has decreased, and the rate of children achieving permanent placements reached 28% in 2024, up from 15% in 2022-2023 [2]. Your decision to become a foster parent is part of that positive change.

Types of Foster Care

Illinois has several types of foster care placements. Understanding your options helps you figure out which path feels right for your family.

Type of Foster Care	Description	Typical Duration
Traditional Foster Care	Providing a temporary home while DCFS works with the biological family toward reunification	Several months
Emergency Foster Care	Immediate, short-term care while caseworkers arrange a longer-term placement	1-30 days
Therapeutic Foster Care	Care for children with behavioral, emotional, or medical needs. Includes extra training and support	Varies
Respite Foster Care	Temporary relief for other foster families	Weekend to a week
Foster-to-Adopt	Foster the child first with the opportunity to adopt if reunification does not happen. All foster care adoptions in Illinois begin with fostering	Long-term to permanent

Who Can Become a Foster Parent?

Foster care is open to a wide range of people. You do not need to be married, own a home, or have a certain income level. Let It Be Us proudly supports diverse foster families: single parents, LGBTQIA+ individuals and couples, and families of all racial and cultural backgrounds.

Basic Requirements:

Be at least 21 years old
Have adequate housing (renting is fine)
Show financial stability without relying on foster care reimbursement
Pass DCFS and FBI background checks
Be in good health
Complete required training and home study

What Matters Most:

More than anything, successful foster parents share certain qualities: patience and empathy for children who've experienced trauma, flexibility to adjust to changing needs, communication skills for working with caseworkers and families, and resilience when things get hard.

The Licensing Process

The licensing process typically takes six to nine months, sometimes shorter. Here's what to expect:

Attend an Orientation

Your journey starts with an informational session. Let It Be Us offers free webinars where you can learn about fostering and adoption from the comfort of home.

Choose Your Licensing Agency

Let It Be Us partners with DCFS to help families navigate licensing. We'll connect you with a licensing representative in your area.

Complete Required Training

All non-relative foster parents must complete 34 hours of pre-service training focused on foster care and the needs of children in foster care [3]. This includes PRIDE training, orientation, and LGBTQI+ supplemental training covering child development and trauma, attachment and loss, behavioral management, working with biological families, and cultural competency.

If you're fostering a relative, you only need 6 hours of training.

Complete the Home Study

The home study ensures your home is safe and that you're ready to welcome a foster child. It includes a physical home assessment, personal interviews, and required documentation like background checks, medical exams, and references.

The home study typically takes 3-6 months, depending on how quickly you complete requirements.

Your home does not need to be big or fancy. It needs to be safe, clean, and have enough space.

Background Checks

Every adult in your household must pass DCFS, FBI, and State Central Register background checks. Not all criminal history automatically disqualifies you, and transparency matters.

Receive Your License

Once you've completed everything, you'll receive your foster care license, valid for four years.

Financial Support

Many people wonder about the financial side of fostering. Illinois provides support to help you care for children in your home.

Support Type	What's Covered
Monthly Stipend	Payment for each child to help cover food, clothing, transportation, activities, and school supplies. Monthly payments in 2025: $384 (ages 0-11 months), $392 (ages 1-4), $409 (ages 5-8), $435 (ages 9-11), $471 (ages 12+). Rates are subject to change; verify current amounts with your licensing agency.
Medical Coverage (Medicaid)	All foster children qualify for coverage including: medical care, dental care, vision care, prescriptions, and mental health services
Additional Support	Access to respite care, counseling and therapy, educational support, and training reimbursement
Adoption Subsidies	If you adopt, children may receive: monthly subsidies until age 18, continued Medicaid coverage, and post-adoption support services

How Let It Be Us Supports You

Let It Be Us is a licensed child welfare agency working in partnership with DCFS throughout Illinois. We provide:

Licensing Guidance: We walk you through the entire process
Free Educational Events: Regular webinars on fostering and adoption topics
Adoption Listing Service of Illinois: Matching waiting children with licensed families who want to adopt
Heart Gallery of Illinois: View photos and profiles of children waiting for adoptive families
Placement Support: Helping connect caseworkers with available foster homes

Visit letitbeus.org or join one of our free webinars to get started.

What to Expect After Licensing

Once you're licensed, here's what happens:

A caseworker contacts you about a child who needs placement
You receive basic information: age, gender, reason for placement, needs
You decide whether to accept based on your family's capacity
If you accept, the child is placed in your home
The first few weeks focus on helping the child adjust

Your ongoing responsibilities include:

Ensuring children receive necessary medical and dental care
Working with teachers and supporting educational needs
Attending court hearings
Facilitating visits with biological family
Meeting regularly with caseworkers
Keeping records of care

Common Challenges

Foster care is deeply rewarding and challenging.

Behavioral and Emotional Needs: Children in foster care have experienced trauma, loss, and instability. Complete trauma-informed care training, connect with therapists who understand foster care, and join support groups.

Working with the System: The foster care system involves multiple agencies, caseworkers, court dates, and paperwork. Keep detailed records, ask questions when you need to, and build relationships with your caseworkers.

Emotional Attachment: You will grow to love the children in your care. Transitions can be hard emotionally. Grief is a normal part of fostering. Connect with other foster parents who understand.

Building Support: Foster parenting works best when you have strong support. Join foster parent support groups, use respite care, stay connected with your licensing agency, and attend Let It Be Us events.

Your Next Steps

Here is how to get started:

Attend a free Let It Be Us webinar: Learn about fostering and adoption in Illinois. Visit letitbeus.org/events.
Explore the Heart Gallery of Illinois: See profiles of children waiting for adoptive families at letitbeus.org/heart-gallery-of-illinois.
Request licensing information: Complete the inquiry form at letitbeus.org to connect with a DCFS licensing representative.
Talk with your household: Discuss fostering with everyone in your home to make sure you are all ready.
Think about your space: Consider where a foster child would sleep and what safety improvements you might need.

Making a Difference

You do not need to be perfect. You do not need a big house or unlimited resources. You need compassion, commitment, and a willingness to learn. The training, support, and guidance you need will come through the licensing process and organizations like Let It Be Us.

Whether you foster for a few days, several months, or eventually adopt, you are changing a child's life. You are providing safety when they feel scared. Stability when everything feels uncertain. Hope when they need it most.

Children in Illinois are waiting. Let It Be Us is ready to support you. Your foster care journey can start today.

References

[1] Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. "Youth in Care by County." August 31, 2025. https://dcfs.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/dcfs/documents/about-us/reports-and-statistics/documents/youth-in-care-by-county.pdf

[2] WGLT News. "Illinois DCFS Director Cites Progress, Says More Changes Are Needed." December 6, 2024. https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-12-06/illinois-dcfs-director-cites-progress-says-more-changes-are-needed

[3] Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. "Foster Care." Accessed October 9, 2025. https://dcfs.illinois.gov/loving-homes/fostercare.html