FAQs About Illinois Adoption

 Posted on September 09,2024 in Family Law

Many parents and individuals yearn to welcome a child into the loving embrace of their homes. Adoption is one of the most generous ways to do this. While the exact adoption process that a person who hopes to adopt (also known as an "adoptive parent") must undergo will depend on what type of adoption that parent is pursuing, there is no adoption that will not be made easier with the help of an experienced Illinois adoption attorney. If you are hoping to adopt and want to know more about the process, contact the family law team at A. Traub & Associates to schedule a consultation. 

What Types of Adoption Are There? 

When most people think of adoption, they tend to think of a newborn child going directly home from the hospital with the child’s adoptive parents. While this is indeed a common adoption scenario, there is a surprising number of other available types of adoption as well. These include: 

• Public adoption (adopting a child from a foster care placement)

• Private adoption (such as international adoption)

• Relative adoption (such as stepparent adoption)

• Tribal adoption (allowing a Native American child to be adopted into a tribe’s customs, laws, and traditions without necessarily terminating the non-Native parents’ rights)

What is the Adoption Process Like? 

Someone who hopes to adopt a child in Illinois should first contact an adoption agency that supports the type of adoption that person is hoping to pursue. This typically includes filling out an application and an initial meeting and screening. 

Next, a home study will be conducted to determine the adoptive family or individual’s circumstances and their capacity to successfully adopt a child. This involves background checks, financial disclosures, references, and health evaluations. 

Then, adoptive parents need to complete a series of trainings covering important topics like how adoption impacts both adopted children and their adoptive parents. Beyond this, adoptive parents are encouraged to pursue any other training or information they need to feel comfortable completing the adoption process. 

Finally, once everything is successfully completed and a good match is made between an adoptive parent and the adopted child or children, the adoption can be finalized. 

Can Gay Couples Adopt in Illinois? 

Illinois law does not have restrictions on the gender, marital status, or sexual orientation of someone who wishes to adopt a child. Many same-sex and other LGBTQ couples and individuals are raising adopted children and foster children in loving, supportive environments. 

Contact an Arlington Heights, IL Adoption Lawyer

Growing your loving family can feel like the greatest honor of a lifetime. It should not also feel like the greatest challenge. If you want help streamlining the adoption process, look no further than A. Traub & Associates. Our experienced, compassionate Illinois family law attorneys understand both the common problems that adoption involves and the best solutions. Contact us today at 847-749-4182 to schedule an appointment with someone on our family law team.