Foster Care is a program for children in state custody who are unable to remain in their home. Children in foster care stay with a family who provides safety, nurturing, support and role models for change. Foster care is meant to be a temporary, short term solution to an emergency situation. Foster placement may be for a single day or several weeks and continue for years.
For information on becoming a foster parent, please call Youth Service Bureau of Illinois Valley at (630) 820-6303 and we will be happy to help you explore foster parenting.
Information to Know Before You Get Started (Click the Links):
Click here to jump to Foster Care Training Videos.
Resource Lists:
- Foster Parent Websites
- Mentor Resources
- Support Group Resources
- Considering Adoptions in Rockford and Illinois
- Spider User Tips
- Who Do You Call When…?
- Foster Parent Handbook
Important to Know:
- Whenever possible, YSB preserves the child’s family. A child should be separated from his or her family only when the family is absent or is unwilling or unable to provide a minimally acceptable family life.
- The purpose of foster care is to provide safety, continuity, consistency and permanency in a family setting for the growing child. When returning home is not possible, alternative permanent plans must be pursued.
Our Community Needs Foster Families…
Today’s foster families are:
- Patient
- Accepting of Differences
- Flexible
- Willing to Make a Commitment
- Nurturing
- Compassionate
They are members of a team and have:
- A capacity to share
- A sense of humor
- A willingness to grow
- The ability to provide supervision and consistency
Give Families a Chance…
Just as there are many types of foster parents, there are different options in foster parenting. The Youth Service Bureau offers a variety of foster care experiences:
- Emergency Foster Care
- Short-term Respite Foster Care
- Traditional Foster Care
- Specialized Foster Care
Training and Support Services:
- Pre-service and ongoing foster parent training
- Financial reimbursement for room and board, clothing, and personal allowance
- Reimbursement for travel when excessive, with prior approval
- Foster Support Group
Who Can Make a Difference…
Persons who:
- Are single, married, or in a legal civil union
- Rent or own their home
- Are at least 21 years of age
- Have sufficient income to provide for their family
- Complete the state licensing process
- Are willing to work as a member of a professional team
- Are able to help a child cope with separation, loss, and grief
- Are supportive of the child’s biological family and return home goals
- Help the child preserve relationships as well as build new ones
- Comply with licensing standards for foster family homes
Who are the children?
- Foster children represent all ethnic groups and all ages, from infancy through teens
- Some have developmental disabilities and need special care
- Some have behavioral or emotional problems as a result of neglect, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
- Every child needs and deserves the love, affection, and guidance that a caring and committed family can give
- Every child needs safety, encouragement, understanding and support
Sharing your home with foster children you provide:
- Love and Understanding
- Time
- Family
- Security and Stability
Available in the following counties:
- Boone
- Bureau
- Carroll
- Dekalb
- DuPage
- Grundy
- Jodaviess
- Kane
- Kendall
- LaSalle
- Lee
- Marshall
- McHenry
- Ogle
- Putnam
- Stark
- Stephenson
- Whiteside
- Will
- Winnebago
Downloads
- Foster Care Brochure
- Foster Parent Implementation Plan 2024
- Foster Parent Grievance Policy
- Foster Parent Grievance Petition
- Part 402 Licensing Standards For Foster Family Homes
- Child Care Act of 1969
Foster Parent Newsletters
Foster Care Training Sessions:
Online Training Acknowledgement Please fill out a separate form for each licensee for every training.
- Foster Parent Appeal Process
- IDHR Sexual Harassment Training
- YSBIV Foster Parent Confidentiality Training
- Foster Parent Training Credit Approval Form
- Sexual Harassment Policy-FP
- Medication Administration and Storage Training
- CPI-Descalation TIPS Handout
- De-escalate Anyone Anywhere Anytime
- YSB-De-escalation online
