Adoption Process Support

Guidance Through Every Step of Your Adoption Journey

When you’re ready to explore an adoption plan, Caritas Family Solutions is here to guide you through the legal and medical steps with care and clarity. Our experienced staff will support you through every stage of the adoption process. We’ll work alongside you to ensure your rights are protected, your voice is heard, and your wishes are respected—from planning through post-adoption support.

ADOPTION PLAN

If you move forward with exploring an adoption plan, the worker will assist with the following:

Reviewing the laws related to birth fathers in the state of Illinois, and how to go forward with an adoption if the birth father is unknown, unnamed, or unsupportive, or how to include the birth father if that is the preference.
Gather pertinent and necessary information including background and pregnancy information.
Discuss the legal process of adoption. Caritas works with reputable lawyers who are experienced working in adoption. You can meet with a lawyer who will represent you in the adoption and who will explain your rights.
Educate and discuss types of openness and work with your worker to ﬁnd the right kind of openness plan for you and your child. We have families who are open to all types of openness in adoption, and we will work to ﬁnd a family that is open to your desired level of openness.
View adoptive family proﬁles and select an adoptive family.
Meet the adoptive family (If you choose not to meet or select the family, the agency can do this on your behalf).
Make a hospital plan if you desire. Your social worker will help you create a customized plan before delivery.

PREGNANCY OPTIONS COUNSELOR

Melyssa.Frederick@caritasfamily.org

Call Or Text Anytime

618-507-9216

HOSPITAL PROCESS

Your social worker will come to the hospital after delivery to
discuss your decision, provide support, and help you complete
the necessary paperwork.
You will review your decision and consider if your feelings have
changed. Second thoughts and anxieties at this point are normal.
If you decide to parent, we are here to support you in that decision.
If you wish, you can see and/or spend time with your baby (or not),
we will make sure your wishes are honored.

When it is time to leave the hospital, your baby can go directly from the hospital to an adoptive family or if you feel you need more time to decide what happens next, we can provide temporary care for your child with one of our temporary care families, which is not the same as DCFS custody. If you decide you would like visits while the child is in temporary care, that can be arranged, or your child can be returned to you while in temporary care, and once requested, it can happen as soon as possible.

POST ADOPTION SUPPORT

After placement, the adoptive family will continue to have supervision with their social worker for 6 months.
Adoptive parents begin the process of legally adopting the child. The adoptive parents become responsible for the child in every way.
Caritas will continue to offer post-adoption support to you for as long as you need it.
You will receive referrals to therapists and other resources for birth parents for post-adoption counseling services and support, based on your needs. Post-adoption counseling is strongly encouraged.
The agency is here to support you with the openness you selected for your adoption plan. Areas of assistance include facilitating ongoing contact with the adoptive family through updates, letters, and post-adoption visits according to your own unique post-adoption openness agreement. The agency is here for whatever needs you may have as you communicate with the adoptive family.

Confidentially contact a Caritas worker anytime through text or a phone call at 618.507.9216, or send an email to Melyssa.Frederick@caritasfamily.org.

As a recent birth mother making an adoption plan for my child, I felt the following: highly supported by my worker, informed about the entire process, I did not feel pressured, and I was given all of my openness options. I would feel very confident referring family or friends to the Caritas adoption options counseling program.

Caritas was able to make our dream come true to become parents. Melyssa was a pleasure to work with, she is very supportive and always made us feel like all of our questions and concerns were important.

Caritas is a wonderful agency that helped me and my family through a very hard time. I found myself expecting another child which I could not afford to keep. Not only did they find a wonderful family for my child, they also found a safe place for my family to call home, transportation between appointments, mental health counseling, and necessities for my children. With such grace and understanding I am happy to recommend this organization to anyone facing difficult situations. You will never feel alone with them by your side.

REACH OUT CONFIDENTIALLY

At Caritas, we respect your privacy and value your trust. Our dedicated team is available to speak with you at any time. Reach out to our on-call number or send us a text at 618-507-9216, and we’ll respond promptly.

Or you can fill out our confidential form below and one of counselors will reach out to you directly.