Foster Care Abuse

Foster cares are set up in Illinois where a minor has been a ward and then has been placed with an institute, group home or private home of a state-certified caregiver referred to as a “foster parent”. In Illinois, the placement of a child is usually handled through a social service agency, the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services IDCFS). The intent of the foster care program is for safe, temporary family settings for children who have become orphaned, abandoned or have been placed with IDCFS for a place of safe haven. More than half of those children placed in a foster care setting are reunited with their families later on. The institution group home or foster parent homes are all compensated for their expenses.

Illinois requires that a potential foster care home be inspected for suitability, that the family be trained and screened before it is accepted as a foster care home. See the IDCFS website for further information: http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/index.shtml.

In 2009, there more than 423,000 children in foster care situations throughout the U.S.. This was a drop from prior years, but the numbers are still very large. African American children represented 41% of children in foster care while white children represented 40% and Hispanic children made up 15% of those in foster care.

In 2000, more than 500,000 children were in publicly supported foster care situations throughout the United States. Within a given year, neglect, abuse and other dangerous and harmful conditions exist for foster care children. About 15% of those in Illinois foster home care situations are injured or abused are neglected. The situation is so bad that six times as many children die in a foster care setting than die in the general population. It is much more likely that a child in foster care would suffer physical injuries, be sexually abused or be harmed as compared to other children in family homes. In fact, since foster care homes and their sponsoring agencies are not all that reliable in reporting abuse, neglect and injuries to the authorities, the actual rates of these incidences are probably even greater in number than what is reported.

Children in foster care experience a high level of abuse, physical neglect and emotional abuse. There are many occasions of sexual abuse in foster care settings. These children do not deserve to be threatened or mishandled or neglected in this way.

Because injuries, attacks, assaults and abuse are commonplace, these children need legal protection. Often injuries are the result of negligent supervision or negligence in background checking or by the agencies that are responsible for the foster home placement. The foster home agencies have a duty to protect children that they place in foster care homes.

If you or someone you love has been abused, neglected or injured in a foster care setting, you may be able to pursue a claim against the agency responsible. Claims related to foster care children include foster care abuse, neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, inadequate supervision and negligent background checking.

Robert Kreisman of Kreisman Law Offices has been handling Chicago and Illinois foster care abuse cases for more than 40 years. Kreisman Law Offices has prevailed in trials and settlements in Chicago, Illinois and surrounding communities and has successfully resolved cases for those injured or abused in foster care homes for these many years.

With our years of experience in trying and settling foster care abuse cases, Kreisman Law Offices provides the best possible services to our clients and have achieved unsurpassed results. Our service is unmatched. Please call us 24 hours a day at 312.346.0045 or toll free 800.583.8002 for a free and immediate consultation, or complete a contact form online.

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