Welcome to Lincoln, Lyon, and Murray Human Services
	Lincoln, Lyon, and Murray Human Services (LLMHS) will provide quality social services in a cost effective, caring manner while respecting the dignity of the individual and family.  Our activities will be conducted within the boundaries of the laws and regulations of our agency's governing bodies.

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You don’t have to be perfect to be a foster parent!

In Lincoln, Lyon, and Murray Counties, we need foster parents of all ethnic backgrounds to open their hearts and homes to children with difficulties within their families.  This includes children of all ages, but particularly older children and sibling groups. Foster families who reflect the diversity of our children in foster care are needed, especially Spanish and African American foster/adoptive parents.

We’re looking for foster parents who can:

• Take time to listen and talk with children as they work through problems

• Offer patience and understanding without judging children or their families

• Recognize that everyone comes from different backgrounds and different value systems

• Offer safety, security, and guidelines and provide a family and home environment to children in crisis.

Foster families provide the love, nurturing, structure, and guidance that make a profound difference in the lives of children. They commit to children and their families to create lifelong relationships.

• Foster parents nurture and care for children.  Due to circumstances beyond their control, some children may have special needs, such as emotional, psychological, physical difficulties, or developmental delays.

• Foster parents support reunification efforts and help develop a positive relationship between birth parents and their children.

• Foster parents may be asked to care for children for short periods of time to provide a respite to the child’s parents.  Sometimes a long-term placement is needed.  Occasionally children cannot be reunited with their families and may be available for adoption.

• Foster parents consider adopting children who cannot safely return to their parents.

On a daily basis, foster parents support foster children by:

□      Preparing family meals, helping with homework, tucking children in at bedtime, and comforting and listening to youth

□      Guiding children who have often been traumatized

□      Helping children by accepting the child’s experience in their birth families and helping them work through issues they may have with their parents and siblings.

□      Understanding that the goal for most children is to return to their birth parents.

□      Consider adopting children in their care if they cannot safely return to their birth families.

Foster parents must be 21 years or older. They may be married, single, renters or homeowners. Background studies will be conducted on serious applicants prior to licensing in order to assure the safety of the children. Pre-service training is required and provided periodically, generally in spring and fall.

If you’d like more information, contact Sharon at 507-337-0205,or smf@LLMHS.com or Scott at 507-836-6144, toll free 800-657-3811, ext 2020, or srw@LLMHS.com.