We believe all foster youth can achieve their dreams. This website is a guide to getting an education, getting a job, and getting on with your life after foster care. Get answers to common questions for foster youth. Learn about your rights and take charge of your future. Click the links below to get started.
Graduate from high school, go to college, get financial aid
Get a work permit, find a job
Learn about the independent living program, find out what happens after your case closes
Learn about foster care benefits and other resources for expecting and parenting youth in care
Are you pregnant or parenting and still have an open foster care case?
DCFS, in collaboration with partner agencies such as Public Counsel, provide an amazing resource for you, Expectant and Parenting Youth (EPY) Conferences.
The EPY Conferences are VOLUNTARY, strength-based meetings for foster youth who are expectant or and/or parenting, including young fathers. A DCFS Facilitator, Children’s Social Worker, Parenting Resource Specialist and EPY foster youth are the core participants of the EPY Conferences. Issues related to pregnancy and early stages of child rearing, including any barriers, are identified and addressed. Potential resources to be explored include cash aid and other public benefits, as well as legal services in the areas of housing, family law, reproductive rights, etc. The long term goal of the EPY Conference is to support you in your successful transition to independence and to end the intergenerational foster care cycle.
If you are interested in having an EPY Conference, reach out to your Children’s Social Worker.
Are there certain benefits I can get if I am expecting or parenting with an open foster care case?
Yes! Once you reach your seventh month of pregnancy you can receive the Early Infant Supplement (EIS). Starting January 2022, it will be called the Expectant Parenting Payment (EPP). To qualify, all you must do is give proof of pregnancy to your social worker, who then needs to submit it to DCFS.
When the baby is born, your social worker should submit the hospital birth certificate to the department and you should receive the Infant Supplement (IS).
If you believe you are eligible for these benefits and you aren’t receiving them, and your social worker is not able to help, please contact Public Counsel.
Have you ever thought…
I realized my life was about struggling through challenges that I had no control over…. With time, I’ve grown to realize that I am able to change my life with my education.
As a former foster youth we feel like we can’t make it. We read pamphlets about getting the job, but it’s a different thing when you’re facing that interview. Mentors helped me to develop my confidence with mock interviews.
I wish someone had told me people would expect more from me when I transitioned out of foster care.
Read real stories from foster youth and get real answers about getting an education, getting a job, or getting your life started after foster care.