Child Welfare
Foster Care Services
Brightpoint’s foster care services in Illinois create change through family partnerships, with caregivers, children and support systems all serving as important members of the team.
Foster Care Services
When families are unable to care for their children, Brightpoint works to find suitable homes for them with caregivers who can provide the appropriate care based on the children’s individual needs.
Brightpoint’s Foster Care provides case management services to families involved with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Youth in care receive services according to their level of need: traditional foster care, behavioral specialized foster care, or medical specialized foster care. Families receive support services to address the conditions which lead to DCFS involvement. Workers partner with biological family and caregivers to support reunification or move forward with adoption or guardianship if reunification is not possible.
Our services are offered in Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, Winnebago, Ogle, Boone, Stephenson, DeKalb, McHenry, St. Clair, Madison, Randolph, Bond, Clinton, and Jersey.
For more information on becoming a caregiver contact:
fosterinquiry@brightpoint.org
Helping Families Care for their Kin
When children enter foster care with maternal or paternal relatives, we work with the family to assess why the child came into care, and address the acute needs including day-to-day caregiving, medical and mental health care, schooling, tutoring, housing, and family conflict resolution with the goal of reunifying the child with their parents or establishing a permanent living option outside of foster care. Relative foster care provides services to families to help relative caregivers provide a stable home for their relative’s children.
We offer this program in the following areas:
Cook, Lake, Will, Kane, Winnebago, Stephenson, Boone, McHenry, Ogle, Dekalb, St. Clair, Madison, Randolph, Bond, and Jersey
For services in Cook, Lake, Will, and Kane, email:
Loni Wilson
For services in Winnebago, Stephenson, Boone, McHenry, Ogle, and Dekalb, email:
Noelle Schamberger
For services in St. Clair, Madison, Randolph, Bond, and Jersey, email:
Katy Cotts
Specialized Foster Care
Many youth in care have experienced trauma, often leading to behavioral and medical issues that require highly specialized care. We offer mental health, medical, dental, developmental, and educational services specific to each child’s needs. We also offer therapy, training, and peer support for parents and caregivers.
We offer this program in the following areas:
Cook, Lake, Will, Kane, Winnebago, Stephenson, Boone, McHenry, Ogle, Dekalb, St. Clair, Madison, Randolph, Bond, and Jersey
For services in Cook, Lake, Will, and Kane, email:
Loni Wilson
For services in Winnebago, Stephenson, Boone, McHenry, Ogle, and Dekalb, email:
Noelle Schamberger
For services in St. Clair, Madison, Randolph, Bond, and Jersey, email:
Katy Cotts
Sibling Connections
We work to keep sibling groups together in the same home while we work to promote family reunification and ensuring the safety, permanency and wellbeing of children.
We offer this program in the following areas:
Cook, Lake, Will, Kane, Winnebago, Stephenson, Boone, McHenry, Ogle, Dekalb, St. Clair, Madison, Randolph, Bond, and Jersey
For services in Cook, Lake, Will, and Kane, email:
Loni Wilson
For services in Winnebago, Stephenson, Boone, McHenry, Ogle, and Dekalb, email:
Noelle Schamberger
For services in St. Clair, Madison, Randolph, Bond, and Jersey, email:
Katy Cotts
Parent Partners
We know parents need assistance navigating a complicated foster care system and accessing appropriate resources to support reunification with their children. With the AKIN model, our Caregiver Support Team created the new role of Parent Partners to help fill this gap.
Parent Partners are staff with lived experience within the child welfare system who understand parents’ experiences with the system. Our Parent Partners connect with parents to provide one-on-one mentorship and work collaboratively with their case manager and licensing specialist to support them throughout their case.
We offer this program in the following areas:
Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, Winnebago, Ogle, Boone, Stephenson, DeKalb, McHenry, St. Clair, Madison, Randolph, Bond, Clinton, and Jersey
Email:
Ashley Akerman
Family Finding Support
We reconnect youth in care with safe, healing, and stable family members and others in the youth’s life who can provide solid support network and temporary housing. For more information contact, FCFamilyFinding@brightpoint.org.
I could have let my grandkids go into the system, but in my heart and mind there was no doubt what the choice would be. My family is always first. It was at that point my grandchildren came to stay with me.Jennifer, Relative Caregiver
Being a Parent Partner means providing the support that is lacking to parents and being able to change the system to help reunite and build strong families. We aim to help parents address their feelings towards the case such as fear, anger, and hurt so they can be their strongest self and be the best parent moving forward.Parent Partner
Additional Caregiver Resources
Foster Parent Law Implementation Plan (FPLIP)
Plan de Implementación de la Ley de Padre de Crianza
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