There are children in Illinois waiting for adoptive families right now, and many of them are sibling groups hoping to stay together.
This National Adoption Month, consider how adopting siblings from foster care could help you grow your family and provide these children with stability and consistency.
This guide walks you through everything you need to know about adopting a sibling group from foster care in Illinois, including eligibility and the step-by-step legal process. If you need legal support for your foster care adoption, contact Gillespie Law Group, LLC to speak with an experienced Illinois adoption attorney.
Can You Adopt a Sibling Group From Foster Care in Illinois?
Yes, you can adopt siblings from foster care in Illinois if you meet the state’s basic licensing requirements to become a foster parent. These requirements include completing pre-service training (typically 27 hours), passing background checks and completing the home study process.
It’s important to understand that foster care’s primary goal is reunification with biological parents. While you may foster a sibling group with the hope of adoption, there’s no guarantee the children will become eligible during your care. However, you can also pursue adoption of sibling groups whose biological parents’ rights have already been terminated.
The Importance of Adopting Siblings From Foster Care
When siblings stay connected through adoption, they maintain crucial emotional ties. Research shows that siblings who stay together experience better emotional stability, a stronger sense of identity and better long-term outcomes. They have a built-in support system — someone who understands their history and stays by their side.
Foster and adoptive parents who open their homes to sibling groups help Illinois preserve family connections and prevent the additional trauma that comes from separating children who’ve already experienced loss.
How Fostering With the Intent to Adopt Works in Illinois
Many families start their foster care journey hoping it may eventually lead to adoption. If you’re wondering how to foster to adopt in Illinois, it’s important to understand that this path requires patience, flexibility and realistic expectations, especially when you’re hoping to adopt a sibling group.
When you foster siblings, they won’t become eligible for adoption until a court decides reunification with their biological parents is no longer possible. Before adoption can move forward, the court must first terminate parental rights, and this process can take months or even years depending on the case.
During this time, you’ll continue caring for the children as their foster parent, supporting them through family visits, services and ongoing court hearings.
The uncertainty can be difficult, but you’re offering stability, safety and love during an essential period of a child’s life. And if adoption becomes an option, you’ve already established strong, lasting connections.
What Is the Process for Adopting a Sibling Group From Foster Care in Illinois?
Understanding the process to adopt through the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) in Illinois can help you feel prepared and confident. Here’s what you can expect along the way:
Step 1: Inquiring and getting started.
Your first step is reaching out to DCFS to express your interest in foster care adoption.
Step 2: Become a licensed foster parent.
Before you can foster or adopt, you must become a licensed foster parent. This involves completing required training classes (typically 27 hours), undergoing background checks for all household members and completing a home study assessment. The home study evaluates your readiness to parent, your home environment and your ability to meet children’s needs.
Step 3: Register with the Adoption Listing Service.
If you’re interested in adopting children who are already eligible, you can view their profiles on the Heart Gallery of Illinois, managed by the Adoption Listing Service of Illinois. Once matched, you’ll enter a six-month foster-to-adopt period where the children live in your home while DCFS monitors the placement.
Step 4: Begin the foster-to-adopt period.
Once matched with a sibling group, you’ll enter a six-month foster-to-adopt period. During this time, the children live in your home while DCFS monitors the placement to ensure it’s meeting everyone’s needs.
Step 5: Finalize the adoption in court.
After completing the foster-to-adopt period, you’ll petition the court to finalize the adoption. This legal proceeding makes you the children’s permanent, legal parents.
Can You Adopt From Foster Care Without Fostering?
No. Even when adopting sibling groups that are already eligible for adoption, Illinois requires a six-month fostering period before finalization. This ensures the placement is stable before making it permanent.
What Support Is Available When Adopting Sibling Groups?
Illinois recognizes that adopting sibling groups from foster care comes with unique challenges. Fortunately, families who adopt sibling groups have access to financial, therapeutic and legal support designed to help them succeed:
- Financial Support: Adoptive parents qualify for monthly adoption subsidies to help cover the costs of raising children from foster care.
- Therapeutic Resources: Children in foster care often benefit from ongoing counseling or therapy. Illinois offers access to mental health services and support groups specifically designed for adoptive families.
- Post-Adoption Services: After finalization, families can access continued support through post-adoption services, including respite care and crisis intervention when needed.
Do You Need a Lawyer to Adopt From Foster Care in Illinois?
Yes. You will need to hire a foster care adoption attorney to assist you through the subsidy process and the adoption. A foster care adoption lawyer protects your rights and interests throughout the process, especially during review of the subsidy documents (Adoption Assistance Agreement), court proceedings and finalization. The fees for the attorney will be paid for by DCFS, not you.
An experienced attorney can handle complex legal requirements, make sure all paperwork is properly filed, represent you in court and address any complications that arise. You want an attorney who understands both adoption law and the foster care system — someone who can support your family and protect your interests.
This National Adoption Month, Consider Adopting Siblings From Foster Care
As we celebrate National Adoption Month, consider the impact you could make by adopting a sibling group from foster care. Not every family feels equipped to parent multiple children simultaneously, and that’s perfectly okay. But for families who have the resources, space and support systems in place, adopting siblings can be deeply meaningful.
If this path feels right for you, take the first step today. Learn more about foster care adoption in Illinois and explore the resources available through DCFS’s foster care program.
Need Help Adopting From Foster Care in Illinois?
Adopting siblings from foster care is a life-changing decision that comes with unique legal and logistical considerations. Whether you’re just beginning to explore this option or you’re ready to move forward with a specific sibling group, Gillespie Law Group, LLC is here to guide you through every step of the process.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation with an experienced Illinois adoption attorney. We’ll answer your questions, explain your options and help you navigate this journey.