By becoming a foster parent with Kaleidoscope, you’ll do more than foster a child in need. With unique support and resources from our team of experts, you’ll provide the care, patience and guidance that every child deserves.
Kaleidoscope is always in need of foster parents who are passionate about caring for the children and youth we help – all of whom require more intensive services as a result of specialized mental health, behavioral, medical or pregnancy/parenting needs.
For more general information, view our frequently asked questions.
Kaleidoscope's Unique Support to Help You Foster a Child
With the support of our team, our committed foster parents have opened their homes to some of the most vulnerable, high-need children in Chicago. Foster parents offer the safe, supportive and caring homes that all children deserve. Our staff are known for going above and beyond state standards to provide excellent, ongoing training and 24/7 support for our foster parents, ensuring that they are equipped to provide the care these young people need.
Once a child is placed, we work closely with the foster family through ongoing case management. We track the child’s progress, manage referrals for outside services and check in with the family regularly to assess any additional needs to support you in fostering a child. Our staff takes on the bulk of the administrative work so that foster parents can focus on the day-to-day nurturing that children and youth need.
From the start, children and young people who are referred to Kaleidoscope are assigned a team of experts to assess their needs and determine the best individualized care. Our social workers, counselors and others professionals provide the ongoing services kids and their foster families need to succeed, including specialized medical care, mental health therapy and more. Each of these services is referred through and arranged by Kaleidoscope, so foster parents don’t have to make special requests or appointments for their kids.
Become a Foster Parent in Chicago
Kaleidoscope welcomes committed and responsible individuals or couples who are over the age of 25 who feel the calling to become a foster parent.
New foster parents are invited to attend our Foster Parent Orientation to learn more specific information on becoming a foster parent.
Steps to Become a Foster Parent
After orientation, you will submit an application. Then, prospective foster parents are invited to participate in an in-home interview with our staff. All approved applicants then attend Foster Parent Basic Training and will complete a home study licensing packet.
Foster parents are required to maintain licensing standards as outlined by DCFS, and several home visits will be required for approval and maintenance of the license.
To learn more, view our frequently asked questions. Feel free to contact us via email or call (773) 292-4462.
Foster Care Video Library
As part of our annual Stories that Connect even in June 2020, our foster parents and staff created videos to share their experiences. Watch the collection below to see how being foster parents rose to the challenge of COVID-19 in the early weeks and how Kaleidoscope’s staff continually meet families’ changing needs.