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Home ▸ Departments ▸ Job and Family Services

Foster Parents: Who are they and how can I become one?

FAQ

Foster parents are caring people who have opened their hearts and homes to the children of Lake County. These children are in need of temporary care after having been removed from their parent’s custody.  Applicants must meet the following requirements:

  • They must be at least 18 years of age.
  • They may be a married couple, single person or co-parents.
  • At least one foster parent must be able to read, write and speak English to effectively communicate with any child placed in their home.
  • They shall have an income sufficient to meet the basic needs of their household.
  • All members of a foster caregiver’s home shall be free of any physical, emotional, or mental condition which would endanger a child or seriously impair the ability to care for a child.
  • They shall submit to a criminal background check with fingerprints through the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
  • They shall not operate their home as an adult boarding house nor shall they provide child care in their home without the Department’s consent.
  • The home shall have a Safety Audit from Lake County Job and Family Services and a fire inspection through their community fire department.
  • They must agree to abide by the discipline policy of the Lake County Department of Job and Family Services.
  • They must have sufficient room to provide care for foster children without displacing any family member.