Frequently Asked Questions

1. What does it take to be a foster parent?
   • To provide a safe, healthy and nurturing home for a child
   • To be able to demonstrate personal warmth to adults and children
   • To work with the Department to implement the plan for the child you are caring for, which is likely to involve contact with parents and others who are important to the child
   • To actively value diversity and ensure the children being looked after are encouraged in a positive understanding of their origins, religion and culture
   • A capacity to understand other people's points of view and feelings, and to be sensitive to others
   • Ability to 'stand back' from problems and be flexible in resolving them
   • Ability to enable children and young people who are moving on, to do so in a positive manner
   • Knowledge of normal child development and an ability to listen to and communicate with children
   • Ability to manage children's behavior with appropriate boundaries without the use of physical or other inappropriate punishment
   • Ability to appreciate how personal experiences have affected you and your family, and the impact fostering is likely to have on them all
   • Ability to sustain supportive relationships with family, friends and the community
   • Ability to use training and supervision opportunities to improve skills
   • Ability to value a child's history and the importance of people from the past to children
   • Ability to recognize own limitations: to ask for and accept help
   • To understand how past experiences for children may

The experiences, skills and abilities we consider essential in a foster parent are:

What matters most is that you are a secure person, mature, realistic and have something positive to offer the children in our care who need a family home.  So don't exclude yourself.  Please contact each state individually for “state specific” requirements.

2. Does my donation only help the child in care?

   No, FPCS believes in taking a full family approach. Whether it is helping a parent learn new job skills or getting a sibling into an extracurricular activity, FPCS knows that a child is a product of the people and places around him or her. Your donation helps to strengthen and build a family whether biological, foster or through adoption.

3. Can I give for a special occasion?

   Yes, back to school and holiday time is an especially difficult time to make sure that everyone has "enough." As we focus on the family rather than just the one identified child, we welcome donations especially for these occasions.

4. What is therapeutic foster care?

   Therapeutic foster care program is where youth who cannot live at home are placed in homes with foster parents who have been trained to provide a structured environment that supports their learning social and emotional skills.

5. What is subsidized adoption?

   A subsidized Adoption is the adoption of a special needs ward.  A subsidy in Illiois includes, a monthly cash payment, medical card, counseling services for the child and family, if needed, therapeutic day care and reimbursement for non-recurring costs, such as attorney fees and court costs with a maximum reimbursement. 

6. What are the criteria for admission into the Wrap program?

The identified child must meet at least one of the following criteria:
Ward: The child must be on probation and a ward of the court
Dependent: The child must be a dependent and have a current case with the Department of Human Services.

AB 2726 client: The child must be receiving services through the school and mental health and identified as an AB client.

AAP: The child has been adopted and receiving Adoption Assistance Program Services through DHS.

Common Terms We Use
Family-Centered:  Families are full partners in the Wraparound process, and special care is taken to ensure families are engaged in the process.

Consumer-Driven:  Children and families are involved in all aspects of planning, design, delivery and evaluation of services.

Strength-Based:  Services build upon the natural strengths of the child/family/ community and strengthen naturally occurring support networks.

Multi-Systemic:  Services meet the child and family’s need across all life domains, such as the family, school, work, healthcare, etc.  Community-wide involvement includes participation from a wide variety of family and community stakeholders.

Individualized:  Services are designed to meet the specific needs of each individual child and family, following a “whatever it takes” approach.

Culturally Competent:  Services are provided by team members who reflect the cultural and linguistic characteristics of the families we serve and who have been trained to tailor assessment and services to family culture, values, norms, strengths and preferences.

Flexible:  The location of services, timing of services, planning, provision and funding all respond to the individual needs of the child and family.

Unconditional:  Service planning and provision is a dynamic process that adjusts to the changing or emerging needs of the child and family.  There is a “No reject, no eject” commitment.

Family Team-Based:  Service planning and provision ensures the involvement of families and their natural (informal) support persons.

Accountable:  Outcomes are identified, measured and reported often.