Foster families needed in southern Illinois – WSIL-TV 3 Southern Illinois – WSIL TV

(WSIL) -- Lutheran Social Services of Illinois needs your help. The number of foster children in care far outweighs the number of foster families available.

"We have a list of foster homes that we go through calling for placements, and then once we run out of homes on our list, we move to other agencies," explains child welfare specialist Brandi Campbell.

Amanda Isaac is a licensed foster parent with the agency. She says her phone will sometimes ring two to three times a week.

"I am a specialized home, there's not a lot of specialized homes, they're called "spec homes." Itake children that have special needs, and we take care of those needs, whatever those needs look like," says Isaac.

Isaac says that being a foster parent is no easy task, but she does it for the kids.

"Sometimes it is hard to deal with the emotional side of things.It is hard as a foster parent to watch what these kids go through, because a lot of times it's the kids that's hurt, that you see them hurt."

Campbell says a foster parent needs to provide a stable, secure home for the child as well aswork with caseworkers, counselors, or any therapists involved in the case. While the process might seem overwhelming, the agency is ready to walk foster parents through every step.

"Fostering is for some people, and fostering is not for some people.I wouldn't change it for the world," adds Isaac.

If you're interested in learning more about being a foster parent, call Lutheran Social Services at 888-322-5774 or email CCS@LSSI.org to talk to a resource officer. The agency also offers orientation meetings for prospective parents.

To qualify to be a foster parent, Lutheran Social Services says you:

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Foster families needed in southern Illinois - WSIL-TV 3 Southern Illinois - WSIL TV