Caritas Family Solutions

Post-Adoption Information

What Happens after adoption?

Post-Placement Supervision

After a child is formally placed in an approved adoptive home by Caritas or with another agency, the post-placement supervision period begins. The post-placement supervision period is a requirement in Illinois and lasts a minimum of
six months.

Your home study social worker will visit the child and family in their home at least three times within those six months – once within one month of placement; once midway through; and a ﬁnal visit within a month of the ﬁnalization court hearing. The focus of the visits is to ensure the child and family are making a positive adjustment to the placement, education, and support.

After the three visits have been completed, the Caritas social worker provides the ﬁnal reports to the attorney retained by the adoptive family so the documents can be ﬁled with the court and ﬁnalization can occur. The court will then schedule the date and time of the ﬁnalization.

Post-Adoption Services

After an adoption is ﬁnalized, Caritas provides services and referrals, as needed, for the life of the adopted child. These services can be requested by any former client (birth parent, adoptee, or adoptive parent) on an as-needed basis. Services provided include preparation of non-identifying social and medical background summaries, counseling, legal searches, sibling queries, and facilitating the exchange of information between parties per their consent and request.

When searches are requested, a formal service agreement is completed. A fee agreement is also completed, as applicable. For all adoptive families, Caritas maintains a list of referral resources to provide ongoing support for as long as necessary. These supports include but are not limited to: adoption-focused mental health counseling, support groups, and training opportunities.

Support and counseling services continue to be oﬀered to the birth family as well throughout this period and can continue for as long as the birth parent requests these services.

Thank you so much for everything you have done for us and all the hours you have put in to complete our adoption home study. You have been a blessing to us!

We had a positive and very efficient home study process. We would recommend them for home study services in the Metro East Illinois area!

I found out I had a brother that was placed for adoption when he was an infant. I reached out to Caritas where he was originally placed and spoke to Melyssa Frederick, completed the necessary paperwork and she explained all the steps to me. She was able to locate and contact my brother, who also wanted to be in contact with me. Melyssa arranged a phone call with permission between the two of us. I can't thank Melyssa and Caritas enough for what they did for me. I will finally am able to meet my brother in person!

My husband and I have been working with Melyssa at Caritas for just over a year and it has been the time that we have made the most progress in our adoption journey. We are hopeful that it will happen soon and have so much trust in her as we navigate this process. She communicates regularly and is so helpful every step of the way. We are grateful for her support and the care Caritas provides for both adoptive and waiting families.

Melyssa is very personable and efficient. She supported us and encouraged us from start to finish through the adoption process. She was our personal cheerleader and went above and beyond the call of duty.