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DOMESTIC ADOPTION2021-03-22T17:21:42+00:00

ADOPTION OPTIONS

It is our goal at ICM to come alongside adoptive families and adapt their newborn infant adoption plans to the specific needs and desires of the families involved. If you are interested in adopting through the U.S. Foster System, please visit the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services website, as this is not a service offered by ICM.

Helpful Information about Domestic Adoption

What are ICM’s Criteria for adoptive parents?2022-06-28T19:21:36+00:00

  • Residents in the state of Illinois
  • Married applicants must be a minimum of 21 years of age
  • Single applicants must be a minimum of 25 years of age
  • Married couples must have been married for at least two years
  • Income must exceed 125% of the federal poverty guidelines
  • Individuals adopting internationally must also meet the criteria set by the foreign government
Helpful Downloads2023-03-16T14:31:16+00:00

Domestic Home Study Services through ICM2018-10-26T00:11:42+00:00

The domestic home study process includes a caseworker coming to your home for three home visits in order to get to know your family, conduct in-person adoption training with you, complete individual interviews with household members, and conduct a home safety assessment. During the home study process, the adoptive family must also complete a variety of home study requirements such as getting fingerprinted for background clearances, getting medical evaluations, obtaining reference letters, completing online adoption training, etc. The home study process typically takes between 3-5 months.

Domestic Post-Placement Monitoring through ICM2018-10-26T00:12:45+00:00

Post placement supervision is mandated by the state of Illinois. A caseworker will come to your home (usually over a period of several months) and conduct post placement visits with your family in order to determine how the adoptive placement is going and to provide resources and support to your family. ICM will complete post placement reports based on these visits.

Avenues for pursuing a Domestic Adoptive Placement2018-10-26T00:14:21+00:00

  1. Utilize our agency as your placement agency. Our agency collaborates with local attorneys, pregnancy resource centers, and other adoption agencies in order to maximize our adoption network.
  2. Utilize ICM for home study services only and work with another adoption agency for your adoptive placement.
  3. Utilize ICM for home study services only and hire an adoption attorney for your adoptive placement. In these cases, ICM works cooperatively with the adoptive family’s placement agency or adoption attorney.
Overview of the Domestic Adoption Process2018-10-26T00:16:22+00:00

  1. Identify your home study and placement agencies (if different agencies), and apply to both.
  2. Complete the home study process
  3. Complete your adoption profile to be shown to prospective birthparents
  4. Submit your home study and family adoption profile to your placement agency, and wait for the news that a birthmother has chosen your family.
  5. Once your family has been chosen and the baby has been born, the birthparents’ parental rights will be voluntarily terminated.
  6. Bring the child home from the hospital or soon after release from the hospital.
  7. Complete the post adoption requirements.

**Note that this is a summary of the main steps in the adoption process… This is not a comprehensive list of the entire process.

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