DCFS also directly recruits, licenses, trains, supervises and supports foster families for its own foster care program. Each DCFS region is responsible for recruiting, licensing and training, and must implement the Foster Parent Law within their region, just like private agencies.

Like each private agency, DCFS decides what supports will be available to foster families under its direct supervision. Therefore, supports available to Illinois foster families vary from agency to agency and from DCFS region to DCFS region.