Illinois Adoption Agency Guide

If you are considering adoption in Illinois, we want you to know that Adoptions With Love is here to help. Our Illinois adoption services are designed to provide you with the support and guidance you need, no matter where you are in your pregnancy journey. Our team of caring counselors and experienced adoption attorneys in Illinois are ready to assist you, whether you are in your first trimester or have already given birth. We believe that every expectant or birth parent deserves access to quality adoption services, which is why our services are provided at no cost to you. At Adoptions With Love, we are dedicated to helping you make an adoption plan that is right for you and your baby.

Adoptions With Love is a non-profit adoption agency dedicated to providing compassionate counseling and adoption services to expectant and birth parents across the United States. Our agency understands the complexities and emotions involved in the adoption process, and we are committed to supporting you every step of the way.

The Role of Adoption Agencies in Illinois

The primary role of adoption agencies in Illinois is to place children in safe, stable, and healthy homes. This includes screening prospective adoptive parents through the Home Study. It also includes working with the expectant/birth parents to design an adoption plan, a birth plan, and offer supportive services that are needed to prioritize the health and well-being of the expectant/birth mother and child. The best adoption agencies in Illinois offer comprehensive, compassionate care throughout the adoption process.

Types of Adoption Agencies in Illinois

There are several types of adoption agencies in Illinois. Below we have outlined the most common types of adoption agencies.

Full-service Private Adoption Agencies in Illinois

This is the most common type of Illinois adoption agency for expectant/birth parents planning adoption. This type of professional is an excellent choice because it offers several supportive services at no cost to the expectant/birth parent, including financial assistance, counseling, legal support, and ongoing contact beyond the adoption.

Foster Care Adoption Agencies

Foster care adoption agencies in Illinois are run by the state. This system focuses on the temporary and permanent placement of children removed from their homes. Foster care adoption can be a positive choice for an adoptive family looking to adopt a child in a very inexpensive way. Foster care is not a path voluntarily chosen by expectant/birth parents.

Key Services Provided by Top Illinois Adoption Agencies

Home Study Services

The Home Study is required by law in Illinois. The process takes several months to complete. It includes a thorough screening and background check, multiple at-home visits and interviews, and the review of several important financial and medical records. This ensures that each adoptive family can offer a child a safe, stable, and healthy home.

Counseling and Support Services

One of the key benefits of working with an Illinois adoption agency is having access to the supportive services offered – at no cost to you.

At Adoptions With Love, expectant/birth parents planning adoption have the following free services:

• Financial assistance, including rent, utilities, phone bills, transportation, and maternity clothes, as needed.
• Medical coverage. We can help you find a midwife or doctor with whom you feel comfortable and cover any uninsured medical expenses related to the pregnancy and birth.
• Counseling services. Our compassionate, experienced counselors offer support before – and up to a year – after the adoption is complete.
• Legal support. Our team of Illinois adoption attorneys ensure that your adoption goes smoothly and legally, offering advice and answering any questions you may have about the adoption process.
• Adoption planning services. We can help you choose an adoptive family for your child and custom design an adoption plan that makes you feel comfortable and confident in your decision, whether you want an open, semi-open, or closed adoption. The choices are all yours.
• Ongoing support. We stay connected with birth parents for years following the placement of children.

Post-Adoption Services

Adoption is a lifelong journey. The best adoption agencies in Illinois will stay in touch as your child grows. With an open or semi-open adoption, some birth parents prefer to have communication directly with their child’s adoptive family. Others would rather go through their Illinois adoption agency. The choices are all yours. At Adoptions With Love, we can assist and act as a liaison between birth and adoptive families. If you choose to have a closed adoption, we keep photos and letters on file, in case a birth parent decides to open the adoption later.

Choosing the Best Adoption Agency in Illinois

As you consider adoption for your child, you may be asking yourself: ‘How do I know which adoption agency in Illinois is best?’ Here is a basic guideline on what to look for and how to be confident in your Illinois Adoption Agency selection.

Considerations When Choosing an Adoption Agency

Here are some factors to consider before choosing your Illinois adoption agency:

• Supportive services offered. Can they offer everything you need throughout the adoption journey?
• Licensing and experience. How long has this organization been in operation?
• Testimonials from birth parents. Read reviews online about the agency you are considering.
• Interaction from initial phone call. This can be an indicator of how you will be treated throughout the adoption process.

Choosing an Accredited Adoption Agency

It is important to find an adoption agency in Illinois that has the proper licensing and accreditation. This indicates the validity of the organization. You can rest assured, with a fully licensed adoption agency such as Adoptions With Love, that your adoption will be handled safely and legally.

Questions to Ask Potential Agencies

Here is a list of questions to ask adoption agencies in Illinois:

1. Can you explain the adoption process and what I can expect?
2. How do you support birth mothers emotionally throughout the adoption process?
3. How do you involve birth mothers in the selection of adoptive parents?
4. What criteria do you use to select adoptive families?
5. Do you provide legal support for birth mothers during the adoption process?
6. 6. How do you ensure the well-being and safety of the child placed for adoption?

Making an Adoption Plan in Illinois

Adoptions With Love has been helping expectant/birth parents since 1986. We understand that an unplanned pregnancy can feel like you are in crisis. It is our mission to help you reach a decision with which you are comfortable. At AWL, there is never any pressure to choose adoption. We are here to educate you on your options, answer your questions, and help you come to the best possible choice for you and your child. Our counseling services are always free of charge to expectant/birth parents.

If and when you are ready to make an adoption plan, we can guide you through the entire adoption process, from start to finish. This involves:

• Choosing a family for your baby: At Adoptions With Love, you can choose the family to raise your baby. You can tell us what you are looking for in an adoptive family, and we will share letters and photo albums from each family that matches your wishes. Hand-selecting the perfect family for your baby can give you great peace of mind. If you would like, you can meet with your child’s adoptive family during pregnancy and/or after giving birth.
• Selecting an open or closed adoption: Adoptions With Love offers open, semi-open, and closed adoption plans. Open adoption allows you to maintain contact with your child’s adoptive family if you wish. If you want a closed adoption now, you may open it later. At AWL, every adoptive family agrees to at least a semi-open adoption. This type of plan entails sending letters and photo updates for you on a yearly basis. It is your choice to receive them. We can help guide you through this decision to determine which type of adoption plan will best suit your needs.
• Ongoing counseling and care: The professional counselors at Adoptions With Love are always available, any day of the week. This service does not end with the finalization of your child’s adoption. We understand that it is important to receive emotional support after giving birth. Adoptions With Love will be here for you during your pregnancy, throughout the adoption journey, and many years after. All counseling services are confidential and free of charge for expectant/birth mothers.

Illinois Adoption Agency FAQ

What are the costs involved for birth mothers?

There are never any costs for expectant/birth mothers planning adoption. In fact, you can get financial assistance during this stressful time.

When can I meet an adoptive family?

Once you have found your Illinois adoption agency, you can ask to see the adoptive family profiles of those who are ready – and approved – to adopt. You can choose to speak with – or meet – an adoptive family whenever you feel ready. This can happen before or after you have given birth.

How do you handle post-adoption communication and support for birth mothers?

At Adoptions With Love, birth mothers who have placed their children for adoption are a part of our family. We check in with our birth mothers routinely and offer assistance guiding the relationship between birth and adoptive families as needed.

Can I choose to have an open adoption?

Yes. You can choose any adoption plan that feels right for you and your baby. You can choose an open, semi-open, or closed adoption. The choices are all yours.

Can I change my adoption plan during the pregnancy?

Yes. You can change your mind about the adoption or the adoption plan at any time before signing consent forms. You can make changes to the adoption plan after the adoption is complete. Plans are signed by birth and adoptive families, with the understanding that they may be tweaked over the years to accommodate a growing child and evolving relationships.

Can a child be adopted without the father’s consent in Illinois?

Birth father’s rights are complicated and typically vary based on the circumstances. It is best to check with your Illinois adoption agency and attorneys for guidance on this specific question.