The Adoption Listing Service at Let It Be Us is a program that connects youth in the Illinois foster care system who need permanent, adoptive homes with licensed foster families that can meet their particular needs and honor their individual strengths. We work with children who have a court-ordered goal of either Adoption (which means the child’s biological’s parents’ rights have already been legally terminated) or Substitute Care Pending Termination of Parental Rights (judge has moved away from returning the child to their biological parents and towards terminating the child’s biological parents’ rights. Adoption can only proceed once a judge has legally terminated their rights, so, even if it’s minimal, there is an element of legal risk.)

Please note that you must be a licensed foster parent to be eligible to adopt a child through the foster care system in Illinois.

If you’re exploring foster to adopt in Illinois, how to adopt a child in Illinois, or interested in Illinois foster care adoption, the Adoption Listing Service of Illinois at Let It Be Us is your first step toward finding and adopting a waiting child.

Registration is simple and includes two key steps:

Step 1: Complete the Family Registration Form

• Fill out the Family Registration Form HERE

Step 2: Submit a copy of your Foster Care License

• Please email a copy of your Foster Care License confirming your status as a licensed foster parent to: adoptionlistingservice@letitbeus.org

By registering with the Adoption Listing Service of Illinois at Let It Be Us, you’ll gain access to matching services that connect waiting children in the foster care system with families that are open and equipped to meet their needs.

In Illinois, you can adopt through the foster care system by first becoming a licensed foster parent through the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) or one of their contracted child welfare agencies.

To begin your journey toward adoption through the foster care system in Illinois, you’ll need to obtain a foster home license. This process includes completing required training (known as PRIDE training) and undergoing a foster Home Assessment, also referred to as a Licensing Assessment or Home Study.

Let It Be Us, a licensed child welfare agency and the operator of the Adoption Listing Service of Illinois, can help guide you through the steps. If you’re ready to take the first step toward adopting a child in Illinois, complete our simple intake form here. Let It Be Us will connect you directly with a DCFS licensing representative in your area. You are welcome to attend a virtual informational event with Let It Be Us where you can learn about adoption through foster care. Information and registration may be found here. Also, Let It Be Us offers many informational webinars on demand. Information and registration may be found here.

There are no fees associated with becoming a licensed foster parent. For anyone considering adopting children in the Illinois foster care system in Illinois, Let It Be Us is here to help you navigate the process with clarity, compassion, and expert support.

If you live outside of Illinois, you need to have a foster license and home assessment approving you to adopt a child from outside of your state. Please reach out to your state’s foster care department to begin the licensing process.

If you’re wondering how to adopt a child in Illinois through the foster care system, it’s important to understand that obtaining a foster care license is a required step – even if your ultimate goal is adoption. The licensure process will educate you and help you understand, support, and provide a nurturing, loving home for children who have experienced trauma. You will need to have your foster license before you can meet a child, have unsupervised visits with them, and move towards placement. Once a child is placed into your home, you would need to be their foster parent for a minimum of 6 months before you could begin the adoption process in court.

Let It Be Us, a licensed child welfare agency, is here to guide you through each step – from getting licensed to finalizing the adoption – making adopting a child in Illinois as smooth and supportive as possible.

If you live in Illinois, Adoption Listing Service of Illinois at Let It Be Us team is happy to connect you to an Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) representative in your region! Please complete this form HERE.

If you live outside of Illinois, you need to have a foster license and home assessment approving you to adopt a child from outside of your state. Please reach out to your state’s foster care department to begin the licensing process.

Once you have completed the foster care licensing process, we hope you come back and register with the Adoption Listing Service of Illinois at Let It Be Us at that time!

Let It Be Us, a licensed child welfare agency and the operator of the Adoption Listing Service of Illinois, can help guide you through the steps. If you’re ready to take the first step toward adopting a child in Illinois, complete our simple intake form here. Let It Be Us will connect you directly with a DCFS licensing representative in your area. You are welcome to attend a virtual informational event with Let It Be Us where you can learn about adoption through foster care. Information and registration may be found here. Also, Let It Be Us offers many informational webinars on demand. Information and registration may be found here.

If you’re exploring how to adopt a child through the Illinois foster care system  you’ll be pleased to know that the process is open to a wide range of individuals and families. Adopting a child in Illinois through the foster care system is an option available to people from all walks of life.

To be eligible to adopt a child through the foster care system in Illinois, you must be at least 21 years old. You may be single, married, in a civil union, divorced, or separated. There is no requirement to own a home – eligible families may rent or own a house or apartment. What’s most important is that your home has sufficient space to safely accommodate children and provide them with a stable, loving environment. If you would like additional information, DCFS Rule 402 Licensing Standards for Illinois Foster Family Homes details all of the requirements for obtaining your foster license in Illinois.

If you’re interested in adopting a child through the foster care system in Illinois, the first step is becoming a licensed foster parent. The licensing process is designed to prepare and support you in welcoming a child into your home, whether your goal is only fostering or pursuing adoption through the foster care system in Illinois.

To ensure you’re ready for the responsibilities of adopting a child in Illinois, the foster care licensing process includes the following steps:

• Home Inspection and Social Assessment – A caseworker will visit your home to ensure it meets safety standards and assess your family environment.

• Training Courses – You’ll complete state-mandated training that focuses on caring for children in foster care and understanding their unique needs.

• Criminal Background Checks – All adult household members must pass background checks.

• Financial Stability – You must demonstrate that you can meet your household’s financial needs without relying on foster care reimbursement.

• Health Screening – You’ll provide health documentation, including up-to-date immunization records for all household members.

• The licensing process typically takes up to six months to complete and is a vital step in preparing families for adoption in Illinois.

To learn more, visit the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) website or contact Let It Be Us directly. The complete Licensing Standards for Illinois can be found in DCFS Part 402.

If you already hold a foster care license and are exploring how to adopt a child through the foster care system in Illinois, you’re in a great position to get registered with us at the Adoption Listing Service of Illinois. All you have to do is register HERE, and email a copy of your foster care license to adoptionlistingservice@letitbeus.org.Please note that you can continue working with your current licensing agency while also working with us, you just have to keep both of us updated regarding any potential placements so we are all on the same page.

Yes, you can! If you live outside the state but are exploring how to adopt a child in Illinois through the foster care system, you are still eligible – provided you meet certain requirements.

To be eligible to adopt through the foster care system in Illinois as an out-of-state resident, you must:

• Be a licensed foster parent in your home state or licensed for adoption with an agency able to provide post placement visits (or the ability to contract with another agency to provide the post placement visits and support)

• Complete the Adoption Listing Service of Illinois Family Registration form HERE.

Our team will review your information and let you know if you meet all eligibility requirements. Please feel free to review information about the Illinois Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) process HERE.

If you’re interested in adopting a child through the foster care system in Illinois, you can view their profiles on the Heart Gallery of Illinois. The Heart Gallery features real stories and photos of children in Illinois foster care who are in need of an adoptive resource.

Each child featured in the Heart Gallery has a court-ordered goal of either Adoption (the child’s biological parents’ rights have already been legally terminated) or Substitute Care Pending Termination of Parental Rights (judge has moved away from returning the child to their biological parents and towards terminating the child’s biological parents’ rights). Adoption can only proceed once a judge has legally terminated their rights, so, even if it’s minimal, there is an element of legal risk.

Children who are available for adoption through the foster care system are often referred to as “waiting children.”

All children that are currently eligible for adoption and registered with the Adoption Listing Service are posted on the Heart Gallery. Additional children will be added to the Heart Gallery as they are registered, so check back to see if new profiles have been posted.

The Adoption Listing Service of Illinois at Let It Be Us is a powerful resource aimed at connecting children in the foster care system in need of an adoptive resource with licensed foster families open to adoption. Our team runs searches frequently to identify the best possible matches between the youth in care and licensed foster homes. We use the information you provide on your Family Registration Form to create a family profile that is securely stored in our protected database.

You will be contacted directly if your profile matches the needs of a child or children we’re recruiting for. Also, you will be able to inquire about children whose profiles are featured on the Heart Gallery of Illinois. Please note that we will consider your family for all children posted to the Heart Gallery of Illinois so you don’t have to feel pressured to be checking the Heart Gallery every day.

Let It Be Us, a licensed child welfare agency and the operator of the Adoption Listing Service of Illinois, can help guide you through the steps. If you’re ready to take the first step toward adopting a child in Illinois, complete our simple intake form here. Let It Be Us will connect you directly with a DCFS licensing representative in your area. You are welcome to attend a virtual informational event with Let It Be Us where you can learn about adoption through foster care. Information and registration may be found here. Also, Let It Be Us offers many informational webinars on demand. Information and registration may be found here.

Initial Meeting or Pre-Referral Call 

If you’re a potential match for a child, a Let It Be Us Adoption Recruiter will reach out to learn more about your family and share information about the child. If you’d like to continue and the Adoption Recruiter agrees that your family seems like a good fit, we’ll submit a referral to the child’s case management team.

Referral 

The Adoption Recruiter will send your family’s information to the child’s team and explain why you may be a good match for the child. If the team agrees, we’ll schedule a Full Disclosure Meeting.

Full Disclosure Meeting 

The child’s team will share detailed information about the child, answer your questions, and learn more about your family. If all parties believe your family is a good fit for the child, the child’s team will arrange your first visit.

Initial Meeting With Child & Official Match 

The first meeting may be by phone, or video, leading up to an in person visit. If it goes well at the in-person visit, and all agree, you’ll be officially matched! The child’s team will set the pace for visits, moving from short supervised meetings to overnight visits and, eventually, placement.

Placement 

The child must live in your home for at least 6 months before you can begin the legal adoption process. If you live in Illinois, there is a panel of approved adoption attorneys in Illinois who specialize in adoption and are free.

If a particular match does not move forward, the Adoption Listing Service in Illinois at Let It Be Us will continue to support you and include you in matching services once you are ready to resume the process.

If you’re exploring how to adopt a child in Illinois through the foster care system and wondering about the cost, you’ll be glad to know that adopting from the Illinois foster care is a low- to no-cost process. Also, there are no fees for working with the Adoption Listing Service of Illinois at Let It Be Us.

Yes. If you are pursuing Illinois foster care adoption, hiring an adoption attorney is a required step in the process. Fortunately, families who are looking to adopt through the foster care system in Illinois have access to legal support at no cost. DCFS has an Illinois Statewide Adoption & Guardianship Attorney Panel who specialize in adoption and are FREE.

When you work with an attorney from this panel, there are no legal fees associated with your Illinois adoption journey. If you choose to retain a private, non-panel attorney, you will be responsible for the legal fees initially, but you may be eligible for reimbursement through DCFS. Please review the Guide for Illinois DCFS Adoptive/Guardianship Parents HERE.

Yes! For more detailed information about current providers and the post-adoption and guardianship support available to families, visit the Path Beyond Adoption website. You can learn more about resources by reviewing the Post Adoption Services & Supports “Quick Access” Guide.

Contact the Midwest Adoption Center: 847-298-9096

• Individuals who were adopted/in foster care looking to search for and reunite with birth family members and access to their foster care file; or birth families looking for information on children.