Directions and Forms to Begin Using Post Adoption Services
Please note that The Cradle is only able to assist members of the adoption circle with whom we have a connection and for whom we have records. If you are unsure which agency was involved in your adoption, contact the county court where your adoption was finalized.

To verify that your adoption was planned with The Cradle, you may write a letter to the Post Adoption Services Department requesting that we check our records. In this letter, you must include your name, date of birth, your adoptive parents’ names and a copy of a valid driver’s license or other proof of identification.

Click on the links below to download all of the forms you will need to begin working with Post-Adoption Services:

• Adult Adopted Person
• Adopted Person, 18-21 years old
• Adopted Person, under 18 years old
• Birthparent Forms
• Descendant of Adopted Person
• Biological Relative of Adopted Person
• Birth Sibling

We have provided the forms in PDF format. The files will download and be placed on your computer's desktop. You will need the FREE Adobe Acrobat plug-in to view them.

A Note About the Illinois Adoption Registry
The Illinois Adoption Registry was created as a means for those involved in an adoption that took place in Illinois to contact biological relatives. The law requires that the person requesting a search must be registered with the Illinois Adoption Registry before a private agency like The Cradle may conduct any search or outreach for a biological relative. In order for The Cradle to proceed with a request for a Search or for a Letter of Outreach, we need to have some verification of your registration with the Illinois Registry.

You can send a copy of the verification letter you receive from the Illinois Registry confirming your registration

Forms for the Illinois Adoption Registry are included in the downloadable forms above.

If you choose to register with the Illinois Adoption Registry and would like The Cradle to facilitate the initial contact between you and your biological relative, you can designate The Cradle as your “contact person” on the Information Exchange Authorization forms. This would mean that The Cradle's name and address would be sent to your biological relative if a match were made. We would then work with both you and your biological relative to facilitate communication at a pace that is comfortable for both of you.