Foster parents step up to help but more support is needed
Updated 5/14/2021 9:42 AM May is National Foster Care Month. With over 21,000 children in Illinois in need of support, it is the perfect time to acknowledge the impact the pandemic has had on too many families, recognize that everyone can play a part in enhancing the lives of children in foster care and their families, and ask more people to consider fostering. In just the past year, Illinois has seen significant growth both in the number of children within the foster care system and in the increased need for more foster parents. The Department of Children and Family Services of Illinois anticipates the 21,000 number will continue to rise well after the pandemic subsides as it will take time for people to recover financially.