The Law Offices of Nicole L. O’Connor LLC

05/18/2026

05/03/2026

🚨 Top 10 Things Every Foster Parent Should Have (But Most Don’t) 🚨

If a child is ever removed from your home unexpectedly, you can lose access to critical information immediately.

Be prepared. Protect yourself. Advocate effectively.

Here are the 10 things every foster parent should have at all times:

✔️ Court case number✔️ County where the case is pending✔️ Judge’s name✔️ Caseworker’s name & contact information✔️ Caseworker supervisor’s contact information✔️ Guardian ad Litem (GAL) or child’s attorney information✔️ Agency name (not just DCFS — know the private agency too)✔️ Placement start date✔️ Next court date & time✔️ Visitation schedule (who supervises, how often)

📌 BONUS — DO NOT SKIP THIS:

➡️ Attend every court date — even if you are not allowed to participate➡️ Keep a diary. Make notes. Include dates and times➡️ When communicating about the case, leave emotions out — stick to facts only

📂 Pro Tip:Keep a simple “foster parent file” with this information + save copies of emails, texts, and important documents.

⚠️ Why this matters:When decisions are being made about a child’s future, the people who are informed—and documented—are the people who can advocate.

💬 Too many foster parents are left in the dark until it’s too late.

If you have questions about your rights as a foster parent or need help navigating a case:

📍 The Law Office of Nicole L. O’Connor, LLC⚖️ A Voice for the Voiceless📞 Free consultations

815-701-7637

[email protected]

Www.nicoleoconnorlaw.com

05/03/2026

🚨 Top 10 Things Every Foster Parent Should Have (But Most Don’t) 🚨

If a child is ever removed from your home unexpectedly, you can lose access to critical information immediately.

Be prepared. Protect yourself. Advocate effectively.

Here are the 10 things every foster parent should have at all times:

✔️ Court case number✔️ County where the case is pending✔️ Judge’s name✔️ Caseworker’s name & contact information✔️ Caseworker supervisor’s contact information✔️ Guardian ad Litem (GAL) or child’s attorney information✔️ Agency name (not just DCFS — know the private agency too)✔️ Placement start date✔️ Next court date & time✔️ Visitation schedule (who supervises, how often)

📌 BONUS — DO NOT SKIP THIS:

➡️ Attend every court date — even if you are not allowed to participate➡️ Keep a diary. Make notes. Include dates and times➡️ When communicating about the case, leave emotions out — stick to facts only

📂 Pro Tip:Keep a simple “foster parent file” with this information + save copies of emails, texts, and important documents.

⚠️ Why this matters:When decisions are being made about a child’s future, the people who are informed—and documented—are the people who can advocate.

💬 Too many foster parents are left in the dark until it’s too late.

If you have questions about your rights as a foster parent or need help navigating a case:

📍 The Law Office of Nicole L. O’Connor, LLC⚖️ A Voice for the Voiceless📞 Free consultations

815-701-7637

[email protected]

Www.nicoleoconnorlaw.com

The Law Office of NICOLE L. O’CONNOR, LLC. Many individuals decide their career paths based on their own personal

04/27/2026

Family has been hit with strep including myself. Unfortunately we will be closed today.

04/14/2026

🚨 Important Tip for Foster Parents 🚨

One of the most overlooked — but critical — pieces of information you should always have is your child’s court case number.

If a child is unexpectedly removed from your home, you may lose access to important information immediately, including:
✔️ Court dates
✔️ Case filings
✔️ Orders
✔️ Even basic case updates

Without the case number, it can become extremely difficult to:
▪️ Track what is happening in the case
▪️ Access court records
▪️ Advocate for the child or your role in their life

💡 Protect yourself and your placement:
Keep a record of the full case number in a safe place (and somewhere you can access quickly if needed).

This is especially important for long-term placements where you may later need to:
• Petition to intervene
• Seek guardianship
• Stay informed on permanency decisions

📌 Foster parents play a vital role — but access to information can change quickly. Having the case number ensures you are not shut out when it matters most.

—
From one foster parent & advocate to another: always be prepared.

04/06/2026

ATTN FOSTER PARENTS -GUARDIANSHIP QUESTIONS SEE BELOW I will be presenting.

Thursday April 9th!
Virtual Support Group/ Adoption vs Guardianship
Thursday April 9th
8 PM to 10 PM
You will receive 2 hours of training credit to renew your foster care license.
No need to register, just click the link below Thursday April 9th
If you have any questions that you would like answered you can email [email protected]

Simple, modern video meetings for everyone on the world's most popular and trusted collaboration platform.

04/05/2026

03/02/2026

📣 Office Closure Notice

Please be advised that The Law Office of Nicole L. O’Connor, LLC will be closed through March 16th due to trial obligations.

During this time, I will have limited availability and will not be accepting any new clients until after March 16th.

If you are a current client and have an urgent matter, please email me directly and I will respond as soon as court schedule permits.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

— Nicole L. O’Connor, Esq.
📞 815-701-7637
📧 [email protected]