Domestic Adoption FAQ's

How long will the adoption process take?

Timeframes in adoption are difficult to predict and vary from family to family. Timeframes will be dependent on the program and country you choose, and we can offer no guaranteed placement date. Some of the timing in the process is under your control as an adoptive parent. How motivated & available you are, how quickly you get paperwork back to us and how flexible you are in your request for a child all will impact your timeframe in adoption.

How many adoptions do you do each year per program?

Last year we helped to form 214 families through adoption. Roughly fifty percent through our domestic program and fifty percent from other countries through our international program.

Why are adoption fees from a non-profit agency so high?

Fees cover a range of services to all members of the adoption circle (birthparents, adoptive parents as well as adopted individuals) as well as to those who explore adoption but then ultimately choose not to place their child. We are thoroughly preparing you as adoptive parents for this experience through counseling and education. Expectant parent services include counseling, medical expenses and nursery care. We also provide extensive educational and outreach services to the professional community to ensure that they give their clients and patients accurate information about the option of adoption.

How do expectant parents hear about The Cradle?

Many hear about us by reputation. After 14,000 adoptions someone usually knows someone who has been involved with The Cradle. We advertise on TV, local newspapers and in the Yellow Pages to create awareness of our services in the community. And we also have Community Outreach Workers who visit clinics, hospitals and doctor's offices to spread the word about The Cradle and educate health care professionals on adoption practices. Others learn about The Cradle through adoptive parent networking -- some expectant parents feel more comfortable considering adoption if they can consider a specific family. We will encourage you as prospective adoptive parents about the power of networking.

Does our age have an effect on our waiting time in the domestic program?

The average age for our adoptive parents across programs is 40. There are lots of factors that birthparents consider when thinking about the family they'd like to place with. Age can sometimes be a factor.

Will it take forever for a single or same gender couple to be chosen? Do I realistically stand a chance?

In the past few years, we've placed many children with same-gender and single parents. Expectant parents choose a family on their own personal set of criteria; realistically some will probably not be interested in a same-gender or single placement for their child. However, we also have experience that tells us that some expectant parents will not only consider but prefer a same-gender or single parent family for their baby.

How do you choose which family profiles to show a an expectant parent or does she see ALL of them?

Each adopting family has an opportunity to describe in detail the kind of child they are hoping to adopt. Adoptive parents will be very specific in their request for a child by talking with their counselor about things like ethnicity, health risks in the baby, family background history, etc. Expectant parents considering placing a child will also be given the opportunity to consider an ideal situation for the child they are planning for. We will limit the amount of profiles we show based on your criteria and their criteria matching.

Can we decide the amount of openness we would like?

The specifics of an open adoption is different for every family. We ask that together with your child's birthparents you develop an ongoing plan that you are both comfortable with. The open relationship is going to be different for every situation and will depend on what you are looking for in that relationship as well as what the birthparents are looking for.

How does openness change over time?

It is our experience that open relationships may gradually develop into something different than originally planned. Generally, adoptive parents look for more contact as time goes by than do the birthparents. Most of our adoptive parents recognize the benefits that the relationship offers to their child and they look for continued contact. Initially most birthparents want the security that the decision they made was the right one for their child. As time goes by, however, they are able to put closure on that decision, knowing that their child is being raised in a safe and healthy environment; so they may not seek out contact as frequently as they did in the first year or two after placement.

What about the birthfather?

Whenever possible we provide counseling services for expectant fathers during the process --- just as we counsel the mother. There are specific procedures established to ensure a legal adoption is possible in situations where a birthfather is unknown or unavailable. You may click here to download the legal discussion article that goes into depth on this topic; and you may wish to consult an adoption attorney with specific questions.

What are my rights and responsiblites as an adoptive parent in Illinois?

To find out more about adotive parents rights and responsibilites in Illinois click here >