Why You Should Resolve To Become A Foster Parent In The New Year

It’s the start of a happy new year for some, but for many children in foster care, the future seems filled with sadness and uncertainty. According to current data from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), there are over 20 thousand youth in foster care in our state alone, as of December 31, 2022. With a shortage of foster parents, it is often difficult to find proper placements, particularly for high-needs children and teenagers with developmental delays and behavioral struggles. But you can make a difference. 

Have you ever considered opening your heart to children in need of a safe, loving home? Read on to learn why you should resolve to become a foster parent in the new year.

You Are Not Alone

Camelot Care Centers believes that 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. In addition to helping you become a licensed foster parent, we partner with our foster parents 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.

You Have What It Takes

Our most successful foster parents are dependable, patient, and willing to try different parenting styles for children with different needs. Having a flexible schedule, being tolerant, and demonstrating the ability to work as a member of our team are all important qualities for success. Foster families willing and able to accommodate sibling groups are in high demand, as are those who are able to take older children and teens.

Here are 12 facts about foster parents from our blog, “What Does Being A Foster Parent Really Look Like.”

1. Foster parents are 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.
2. Foster parents can be married couples or same-sex couples in a civil union.
3. Foster parents can be single adults.
4. Foster parents can have biological children, adopted children, or absolutely no children of their own.
5. Foster parents care for youth of all ages, from infants to teenagers.
6. Foster parents are sometimes extended biological family members.
7. Foster parents are always law-abiding citizens.
8. Foster parents are in good physical and mental health.
9. Foster parents work full-time, part time, or are stay-at-home caregivers.
10. Foster parents have a suitable home and sufficient income to care for a child/children.
11. Foster parents come in every size, shape, and color.
12. Foster parents have open minds, and most importantly, really big hearts.

If you live in the state of Illinois and want to become a foster parent, we invite you to visit our website for more information, or click on the following link to get started: https://family.binti.com/users/signup/camelot-il-initial

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.