Adoption Services
Creating loving homes since 1947
Thank you for your interest in our adoption program.
Our mission is to create healthy relationships, loving homes, and strong communities starting with providing the best possible support and experience for all individuals and families interested in adoption.
If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Melyssa Frederick, Adoption Manager at melyssa.frederick@caritasfamily.org or call her direct number at618-744-7297.
Caritas Private domestic Adoption Program
If you’re pregnant or parenting, and considering adoption, we are here to help you sort out your options and find peace in the decisions you make for yourself and your baby.
Since its beginning, Caritas Family Solutions has offered supportive services to pregnant mothers by helping women navigate critical decisions regarding choosing to parent or when making a loving plan for alternate care.
Choosing adoption means crafting a thoughtful future for your child, not giving up. We firmly believe in open adoption as the gold standard, allowing both birth and adoptive families to share identifying information and maintain ongoing contact. As you make your decision, our supportive counselors will provide counseling and care, not just during the decision-making process, but even afterward.
Caritas Family Solutions is devoted to creating loving families through adoption. Our adoption program serves Southern Illinois. We give equal attention, care and respect to pregnant women considering adoption, children needing a permanent home, and the people who want to become parents. We even help with search and reunions from past Caritas Family Solutions or Southern Illinois Catholic Charities adoptions. Our private adoption program is voluntary placements between birth parents and adoptive parents, please note, this program does not offer adoption through foster care.
We encourage open adoptions for the adoption triad (birth parents, adoptive parents and the adoptee), which is the basis of our Adoption from the Heart program. An open adoption means the birth mother and adoptive parents will choose each other, may have access to each other’s information to the extent all parties are comfortable, and ideally, also have an ongoing relationship. This has shown to be beneficial to all parties and strengthens the family.
How can we help you?
Caritas is an independent, accredited adoption agency, not affiliated with DFCS.
Adoption Information
pregnancy options counseling
Pregnant or parenting and considering adoption as an option? You’re not alone. We’re here to help.
Learn more about our Pregnancy Options Counseling services.
Or for immediate assistance call or text our on-call number: 618-507-9216
Families Awaiting Adoption
Search & Reunion
Support Adoptions
Donate Money
We need funds to support and care for pregnant women, and provide adoption services. Donate now.
More Ways to Help
See other ways you can support Caritas Family Solutions.
Adopting a Child
Adopting a baby or child who needs a permanent home is a wonderful thing to do to complete your own family and strengthen our community, in addition, it can be complex and hard. It’s a lengthy process, as it’s important to ensure that all parties are the right fit for each other.
Criteria to Adopt Through Our Private Adoption Program
We will assist individuals of any ethnicities, race and/or religion who reside in Southern Illinois. We follow the laws within the State of Illinois regarding adoption for all types of families including single parents, as well as families with other biological and/or adopted children.
For agency assisted domestic adoptions:
- Caritas requires you to be 25 years of age or older to the age of 55
- If married, we require one year of marriage before making an application and one person must be a U.S. citizen.
- We are unable to serve families that are seeking a closed adoption
- We accept families who are already working with an adoption agency, adoption professional or desire to work with another agency.
We allow one adoption or placement at a time, unless the children are siblings, as we believe each child or sibling group should have 9 months between placements.
We are able to assist with all types of adoptions and do not have the same eligibility criteria for the home study or post-placement process for individuals or families that are seeking placement independently.
considering adoption with caritas
Please note the typical wait for a domestic placement nationally is 18 months after an approved home study. Home studies are required in the state of Illinois for all adoptions, and we can conduct a home study, which involves background checks, self-studies, a relationship or personality assessment, individual and couple interviews, medical clearances, and reference checks. We also require training.
Once approved, the wait time for placement is unpredictable. You will provide a profile album for expectant parents to view, and they choose who they want to become their baby’s parents. In addition, you can be featured on Caritas website as a waiting family.
Intake and Education
We offer a free initial consultation with an adoption specialist who will explain the process and assist prospective families in exploring the many ways and types of adoption.
Application
If you choose to work with Caritas, after speaking with a staff member at intake, an application is completed and submitted to the adoption manager. Once your application is approved, you will be assigned an adoption specialist who will walk you through your entire adoption journey and help prepare for the adoption process.
Assessment
Home studies are required for all who are seeking to adopt a baby or child. We can help with home studies and updates as needed, the pre-adoptive training, and required post-placements. Your adoption specialist will be there through your entire journey, explaining each step and helping support you through the process.
Placement
We assist with placements through the Caritas domestic program, providing support to birth parents and adoptive parents, and can also assist with placement services for independent or attorney-assisted adoptions.
Post Adoption Services
We are here to support all of our clients: adoptive parents, birth parents, and adoptees after a placement, from the post-placement visits and services required after placement, and ongoing throughout the life of the adoption.
Contact us for more information about our Private Adoption program.
For foster care inquiries, please contact
https://www.foster-adopt.org/
Success Stories
Stories coming Soon
Story coming Soon
After a traumatizing childhood, deeply instilled rage made Carlos unable to stay in a foster home. We took him in and gave him loving care and a strong support system. Now, he can imagine a life without violence.
More ways to help create
loving families
