The SOS Children’s Villages Illinois
Model of Care
The SOS Children’s Villages Illinois model of care differs from traditional foster care in
emphasizing the following four components:
Children live together with their siblings.
Children receive care and support from a full-time, professionally trained Foster Parent.
Children grow up in a private, single-family home.
Children are supported by the Village, designed as an intentional community of care.
The SOS Illinois Difference
SOS Children’s Villages Illinois continues to positively impact the lives of
foster children in the following areas:
Traditional Foster Care
SOS Illinois Model
Stability
Traditional Foster Care
A child will often only have a 14-day notice before transfer.
SOS Illinois Model
Provides security that a home is a always available.
Parents
Traditional Foster Care
Often community-based foster parents work outside the home while parenting.
SOS Illinois Model
Professionally trained, full-time Foster Parents provide specialized care to sibling groups in our Village setting.
Siblings
Traditional Foster Care
Three of out four siblings are separated in care, increasing instability and loss for youth.
SOS Illinois Model
Homes are built to accommodate up to
six siblings. Up to three sibling groups can reside in each home, depending on the size of the groups.
Traditional Foster Care
Individuals are required to seek out community resources that may not always be accessible.
SOS Illinois Model
The Village model provides built-in access to on-site supportive services, recreational facilities, and peer support.
Home
Traditional Foster Care
Limited space; no daily outside professional review.
SOS Illinois Model
Owned and maintained by professional staff who closely monitor facilities for safety and upkeep.
Oversight
Traditional Foster Care
A traditional case worker/therapist has to travel to numerous homes.
SOS Illinois Model
The case worker/therapist is on site and has access to the children on a daily basis.
Education
Traditional Foster Care
Only 50% of foster children graduate from high school.
Only 3-11% of foster children complete a bachelor’s degree.
Also 34.2% of foster children changed schools five times or more while in foster care; 17.9% of children missed at least one month of school due to foster care change.
SOS Illinois Model
SOS Children’s Villages Illinois repeatedly achieves a 100% high school completion rate.
Annually, more than 75% of high school graduates from SOS Illinois elect to attend college in pursuit of associate’s or bachelor’s degrees; the remaining graduates elect to begin working.
Living in the Village ensures the changes in home placement do not affect school district changes or placement. Of the school age youth, approximately 98% attend 90% or more days of school.
Did you Know?
SOS Children’s Villages Illinois children have the increased stability of living in the same home as their siblings unlike over 75% of youth in care within traditional models.
SOS Illinois children receive comprehensive wrap-around services that address their whole self—physical, mental, and emotional.
SOS Illinois children benefit from permanency and stability. They can always “come home,” even when they are in college or have graduated.
SOS Illinois Foster Parents receive professional training and support to be effective parental figures, receive a salary and full benefits, and have access to a supportive network of other SOS Illinois Foster Parents.