Latino Consortium Seeks Spanish Speaking Foster Families

The Latino Consortium is an association representing a group of social service agencies operating under contract with the Illinois Department of Children Family Services (IDCFS). These agencies offer a variety of support and child protection services to Latino children and their families.

The Consortium is seeking bilingual and/or Spanish-speaking families in Chicago who are willing to join their foster care recruitment program. Foster parents are the people responsible for providing care to children who have been victimized by incidents of abuse and neglect.

Luis Barrios, director of the Latino Consortium, expressed his concerns about the difficulties the Consortium agencies are facing while placing group of siblings and adolescents in the foster care program.

The composition of some families tends to be larger in size and it is difficult for foster agencies to have to separate children and place them in separate homes. It’s like adding more traumas to a child who is under severe stress. The Latino Consortium needs help from the public to meet the needs of these children. The requirements for persons interested in the foster care program are:

• Stable, mature individual at least 21 years old
• Single adult or a married couple
• Financially stable and responsible
• In good health, confirmed by a physical examination report
• Able to provide references as part of a background check
• Able to participate in a licensing process which will include interviews in your home to discuss your ability to care for foster children

Your home must:
• Be clean, well-ventilated, free from hazard and have appropriate light and heat
• Have sufficient bedroom space
• Have an operating telephone

Foster families will:
• Ensure that children are supervised appropriately for their age and development
• Provide a safe, secure and nurturing environment
• Treat the foster child as one of their own children
• Are patient, understanding and sensitive individuals
• Receive financial assistance to cover some of the children’s expenses
• Receive a medical card for each child
• Receive support through home visits at least once per month by a case worker.

For more information, please call 888-490-1429 or visit latinoconsortium.org.