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If you are new to foster parenting or want to become a foster parent in the state of Illinois, you may feel a bit unsure about what to expect going forward. You also probably have a lot of questions. Camelot Care Centers is here to help — and we’re not just talking about the vital services we offer! Our blog is filled with valuable knowledge and can be a trusted resource for foster parents and their families. That is why we’ve gathered some of the most important information and advice we have shared over the years to help you get started.
Foster Parenting Facts
There are many myths and misconceptions about foster parenting. Here are the facts:
- Foster parents come in every size, shape and color.
- Foster parents must be over the age of 21, but there is no upper age limit. That means young adults and senior citizens can foster, as well as every age in between.
- Foster parents can be single adults, married couples or same-sex couples in a civil-union.
- Foster parents are sometimes extended biological family members.
- Foster parents can have biological children, adopted children, or absolutely no children of their own.
- Foster parents care for youth of all ages, from infants to teenagers.
- Some foster parents care for one child, many children, or even sibling groups.
- Foster parents must be law-abiding citizens and in good physical and mental health.
- Foster parents work full-time, part time, or are stay-at-home caregivers.
- Foster parents have a suitable home and sufficient income to care for a child/children in need.
Foster Parenting 101
Want to learn more? Here are some helpful tips for foster parents.
- To learn about how to become a foster parent in the state of Illinois, click here.
- To learn more about foster care and why it’s so important, click here.
- To find out if you are ready to be a foster parent, click here.
- To discover the skills every foster parent should master, click here.
- To learn how to prepare for a foster care home study, click here.
- For help with preparing your family to welcome a foster child, click here.
- For the traits of a loving and stable home, click here.
Be sure to visit our website, blog, and additional resources for more, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. And if you are ready to take the next step and become a foster parent in the state of Illinois, click here to access our online form.
Every child needs and deserves to grow up safe and protected from abuse and neglect, and caring foster parents offer children support and stability when they need it most. At Camelot Care Centers, we specialize in higher-level foster care for children and adolescents that need extra support. We partner with our foster parents/homes to provide trauma informed care and additional services, including in-home counseling, parent support and training, tele-psychiatry, and therapeutic mentoring, to maintain children at the least restrictive, yet most appropriate level of care. Camelot Care Centers (“Camelot”) is a Child Welfare Agency.
