The Kinship in Demand (KIND) Act requires the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to deliver services using a kin-first approach (i.e., prioritizing placing children with supportive relatives and strengthening family connections) and directs the courts to provide meaningful oversight of DCFS’ obligations. The KIND Act includes a new, less bureaucratic process for relatives seeking to become caregivers for foster children: the relative caregiver certification process. This process provides relative caregivers with the same financial supports as foster parents under a process specifically designed for relatives as opposed to the traditional licensure process that was designed for non-relatives.

To become a certified relative caregiver, the relative must complete three major requirements: a background check for household members, a caregiver assessment, and a safety & needs assessment of the home environment. As part of this process, some adults in the home may need to address criminal records. It’s important to understand how criminal convictions are evaluated during this process because most criminal records must be evaluated by DCFS on a case-by-case basis using several different factors. These factors were designed to ensure child safety and the fitness of each individual adult in the home.

Throughout this advocacy guide, the ACLU of Illinois provides information and recommendations to address criminal history in the path to becoming a certified relative caregiver. This guide includes: an overview of how criminal convictions are considered, tips and checklists to prepare supportive materials, frequently asked questions, and a visual guide to the criminal records review process.

Additional Resources:

• Information on obtaining your records from Illinois Legal Aid