What do I need to do to adopt a child? 

If you believe that the best permanency option for the child in your care is adoption, you should discuss adoption with your child’s caseworker. If the decision is made that it is in the child’s best interest to be adopted by you, the child’s caseworker will tell you what steps need to be taken. The child’s caseworker will give you all of the necessary paperwork to apply for adoption assistance if the child has special needs or otherwise fits the eligibility criteria. You will also have to go to court to have a hearing to legally finalize the adoption. You will need to choose your own attorney to represent you as you adopt a child who is under the guardianship of DCFS. DCFS and private agency staff are not permitted to refer adoptive parents to specific attorneys. However, caregivers may select from a list of attorneys who meet certain qualifications set out by DCFS and who are paid directly by DCFS for serving as adoption attorneys. Ask your worker if you would like a copy of this list. Caregivers who desire to adopt a child from foster care must complete the Adoption/Guardianship Certification Training. The caseworker or the adoption worker will make the referral for the training.

Can I adopt a child not placed in my home? 

Caregivers, like anyone interested in adopting a waiting child, should contact the Adoption Information Center of Illinois, 800-572-2390 inside Illinois or 312-346- 1516 outside Illinois. Photo listings of waiting Illinois children who are legally free for adoption are available. Like other prospective adoptive parents, caregivers will be referred to the waiting child’s caseworker for more information about the child. Caregivers who are interested in a waiting child living with another caregiver who is unable to adopt, should contact the child’s caseworker to get more information and discuss the possibility of adoption.

What background information about the child will I have prior to adopting? 

The adoption process attempts to match the individual needs of a waiting child with the skills and abilities of a prospective family. Prospective adoptive parents for a child will be given more and more information about the child as the adoption process progresses. 

Ultimately, Illinois law requires that adoptive parents be given background information and medical and mental health histories prior to a child being placed with them for adoption. The following information, if known, will be given to adoptive parent/s in writing:

• age of birth parents; 
• their race, religion and ethnic background; 
• general physical appearance of the birth parents; 
• their education, occupation, hobbies, interests and talents; 
• existence of any other children born to the birth parents; 
• information about the birth grandparents; reason for emigrating into the U.S., if applicable, and country of origin; 
• relationship between the birth parents; 
• detailed medical and mental health histories of the child, the birth parents and their immediate relatives; and 
• the actual date and place of birth of the adopted person.

The Adoption Disclosure form (CFS 470-H) must be given to the prospective adoptive parent prior to signing off on any commitment forms. This form will confirm the information that the adoption worker has shared with the prospective adoptive parents. 

None of this information will include the last known address of the birth parents, grandparents, the siblings of the birth parents or any other relative of the adopted child. Names, social security numbers and other identifying information about the birth family will remain confidential.

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