Shelter, Inc.
Foster kids are kids like any other. But they’ve experienced more difficult situations and tougher times than most adults ever will. The court has placed them in foster care for their protection due to family circumstances, not because of anything they have done.
In many cases, children are placed in foster care because they have been abused or neglected and are unable to continue living safely with their families. Sometimes homelessness, loss of income, addiction, hospitalization, mental illness, or parental death make it impossible for a biological family to care for a child. These children all need safety, love, support, and guidance.
Shelter’s Home-of-Relative , Traditional Foster Care, and Emergency Foster Care programs aim to place children in safe, stable, and nurturing environments until they can be reunited with their biological families. When reunification is not possible for safety or other reasons, adoption may be one option, though fostering is typically a temporary commitment..
Services and information
- Traditional Foster Care
- Emergency Foster Care
- Respite Foster Care
- Adoption
- Other
Requirements to become a foster parent
You must meet minimum requirements to provide foster care for children in Illinois. To become a foster parent, you must:
- Be at least 21 years old
- Attend foster parent orientation
- Pass a background check
- Finish 30 hours of foster parent training
- Complete the Home Study
- Provide at least three references
- Clear a physical exam
- Maintain financial stability
Foster families must be able to provide a safe and comfortable home for a child. You must provide room for the child to have a bed and enough space for personal belongings.
Foster parents do not need to be married or have a partner. However, if married, couples must show a stable marriage of at least one year before they can foster a child in Illinois.
Foster parents need to meet a child's basic care needs, such as providing meals and clothing. Foster families must also support a foster child's education and assist them in developing social skills.
Contact the DCFS or a local licensed child-placing agency to learn more or begin the fostering approval process.
Ratings and Reviews
Average user rating
4.5 / 55 | |
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Jan 06, 2023
This is a great, great organization. It deserves a 5 Star rating. Not only that should received civilian and non ngo awards for its highest cause to protect our dear kids. Immeasurable work of the people in this organization. God bless and .ay the Lord continue to guide the companies purpose.
Sep 08, 2022
A wonderful organization that provides trauma-informed and gender-affirming services to youth in need of emergency foster home placement.
Mar 06, 2020
(Translated by Google) I want and I'm trying to get there today, I need to spend the night there, I haven't eaten anything and I don't know what else to do and I don't have any money.
(Original)
Quiero y trato de llegar hoy allá necesitonpasara la noche ahí no he comido nada y ya no se que mas hacer y no tengo dinero
Jan 29, 2019
I was wondering how to get in here
Aug 01, 2018
I have worked with Shelter as a foster parent and a donor for the past 17 years. They are an exceptional organization. They are full of good honest big hearted people and serve the community very well. I have no idea who the two people are that posted Bogus reviews but lend them no mind.