Chicago Adoption & Foster Care Resources

If you live in Chicago and are considering adoption, either as an expectant mother or prospective adoptive parents, you are likely wondering the same thing: who can help me with adoption in my area? The following guide provides all the Chicago adoption information you need, from finding a professional to finalizing your adoption.
To learn even more about the adoption process, you can visit out Illinois adoption page.

Adoption Agencies and Professionals in Chicago

Prospective birth parents and hopeful adoptive families should work closely with an adoption professional throughout the process. This professional will provide education, counseling and the adoption services you need to complete your adoption.
When choosing an adoption agency, some people prefer to work with an adoption professional in their area. The following adoption professionals are based in the Chicago area and have experience completing local adoptions:

• Bethany Christian Services
• Catholic Charities
• Children’s Home + Aid
• The Cradle
• Genie Miller Gillespie, Attorney at Law

Chicago Foster Care Resources

If you live in Chicago, Illinois, and are interested in fostering a child, you will need to meet certain state requirements for foster parents and complete the home study process. Information about foster parent eligibility, as well as Illinois home study requirements, is included in our state adoption information.
The following local agencies and resources can also provide additional information about becoming a foster parent in Chicago:

• ChildServ
• Little City
• Illinois Department of Children & Family Services

Home Study Providers

The home study is a major milestone in every adoption and foster care process, and home study requirements are determined by the state. In Illinois, the process includes at least one visit to the home and interviews with all members of the household. For more information about what to expect during the home study, visit our guide to Adoption in Illinois.
When you are ready to begin the home study process, contact any of these legally qualified home study providers in your area:
Near Chicago:

• Adoption Center of Illinois
  1-800-966-5877
  You don’t have to be adopting through the Adoption Center of Illinois to use their home study services. They complete home studies for independent, agency, and international adoptions.
• Unity Parenting & Counseling, Inc.
  312-455-0007
  Established in 1993, Unity Parenting & Counseling has extensive experience providing support and home study services to Chicago and Illinois families.
• Kmetko & Associates, LTD.
  773-561-6196
  In addition to providing ICPC information and adoption consultation, Kmetko & Associates can also help you complete your Chicago home study.

In Illinois:

• Holt-Sunny Ridge
  630-754-4500
  Holt-Sunny Ridge offers home studies and other postplacement services for domestic, international, and embryo adoptions in Illinois.

Visit 1800HomeStudy.com to learn more about Illinois home study providers.

Hospitals near Chicago

If you are a pregnant mother considering adoption, you will eventually need to create a hospital plan. Your adoption specialist and healthcare provider can assist you with this part of your adoption plan. When arranging for your hospital stay, you should consider where and how you want to give birth and who you want to be there with you.
As you think about your hospital trip, you can find more information about hospitals near you:

• University of Illinois Hospital
  1740 West Taylor Street
  Chicago, IL 60612
  866-600-CARE
• Saint Anthony Hospital
  2875 West 19^th Street
  Chicago, IL 60623
  1-773-484-1000
• The University of Chicago Medicine
  5841 South Maryland Avenue
  Chicago, IL 60637
  773-702-1000
• Prentice Women’s Hospital
  250 East Superior Street
  Chicago, IL 60611
  312-926-2000
• Northwest Community Healthcare
  800 West Central Road
  Arlington Heights, IL 60005
  847-618-1000
• Swedish Covenant Hospital
  5145 North California Avenue
  Chicago, IL 60625
  773-878-8200
• Rush University Medical Center
  1653 West Congress Parkway
  Chicago, IL 60612
  888-352-7874

Illinois Adoption Laws and Requirements

Hopeful parents and pregnant women considering adoption often have questions about Chicago adoption laws, qualifications and processes. Adoption laws are determined by the state, and are the same in Chicago as they are anywhere else in Illinois.  Read below for an overview of some of the adoption laws regulating adoption in Chicago.
Birth Parents:
Many birth mothers and fathers have questions about the laws, rules and qualifications for placing a baby for adoption in Chicago. Each state determines when and how birth parents can give consent at the time of an adoption.
Information about adoption consent, relinquishment, paternity and more is available in our Illinois adoption information.
Adoptive Families:
Hopeful adoptive parents in Illinois must meet certain age and residency requirements and follow all laws regulating adoption expenses, finalization, the use of advertising, and more. An outline of laws and regulations for adoptive families in Illinois is available on our Illinois adoption page.

County Court Information

All adoptions must be finalized in court, a proceeding which occurs around six months after placement. Following a number of post-placement visits, you will be asked to appear in court for the final hearing. At that time, your adoption specialist will provide you with more information.
Visit the Cook County and DuPage County pages to learn more about court proceedings in your area.

Things to Do in Chicago

Many parents who adopt from Illinois end up spending some time in Chicago, either visiting prospective birth parents or waiting for their ICPC paperwork to be processed. If your adoption plan brings you to the Chicago area, consider visiting:

• Navy Pier
• Lincoln Park Zoo
• Adler Planetarium
• Shedd Aquarium
• Oak Street Beach