The Foster Care program at The Center for Youth and Family Solutions licenses and assists families while they care for children first placed in their home through foster care. When a decision is reached that a child in foster care cannot return to the care of the biological parents, the child’s foster family may be asked to consider becoming the child’s forever family. The transition from being a foster family to being a forever family through the process of adoption involves the Adoption Conversion Program.
These next steps can be just as exciting and challenging as those first ones.
Our qualified staff understands the joys and questions commonly involved with adoption. To that end, we are passionately committed to working alongside foster parents to prepare them as they become adoptive parents, and ready themselves for the rewards and challenges of adoptive parenting.
Because adoption is a lifelong commitment to a child, our focus is to ensure the best interests of the child are met by completely educating adoptive families on adoption and adoption-related issue. Adoptive parents in Illinois are required to complete specific training on adoption-related issues.
The length of time it takes to complete the adoption process depends on many factors. The Adoption Conversion Specialist must complete an adoption packet that includes current background clearances, and information on the child’s history and needs. The packet is reviewed by the court legal system and DCFS to ensure the best interest of the child is considered.
The Conversion Adoption Specialist will prepare the family and the child for legal and DCFS finalization. This includes assessing the child and family’s transition, preparing for future needs of the child and handling specific legal and DCFS paperwork, including subsidy and post-adoption resource materials. Usually, there is no cost for finalizing the adoption of a child placed in foster care. You may be eligible for a monthly subsidy, a medical card and other possible benefits which assist in defraying expenses associated with raising a child.
Once the packet has been approved, the wait time is generally just a few months. Your Adoption Specialist will track your case status and help with projected timeframes on an individual basis.
To learn more about adopting a child out of foster care visit: