• Overview
• Steps to Domestic Adoption
• Domestic Fee Schedule
• Financial Support Resources
• Support Links

Steps to Domestic Adoption

Our Children’s Homestead helps families adopt American children, both with and without unique challenges. The children we assist are not only from Illinois, but can also reside anywhere in the United States. OCH works with other agencies to assist with the matching process and to assess the needs of the child to determine whether the child and family make an appropriate match. Intrastate adoptions also require specific approval from the state of origin’s Inter-State Compact Unit, as well as the Illinois Inter-State Compact Unit. An OCH adoption coordinator will handle all necessary contact for the approval process.

OCH also provides resources and referrals to help you through every step of the adoption process. We help families attain financial subsidies for the children, when applicable. We work with adoption attorneys, making sure they receive all necessary documentation needed to maximize the efficiency of representation. When the child is placed in your home, we monitor the placement for the first six months, prior to adoption finalization, ensuring all necessary services are established which help ease the transition process.

Steps to Domestic Adoption:

• OCH application
• OCH completes licensing process for families residing in Illinois, per DCFS requirements
• Home Studies are completed to thoroughly investigate and evaluate the family and is used as the basis for approval for the family to adopt
• OCH works with other agencies to match families with children awaiting homes
• If a child is located outside of Illinois, your OCH Adoption Coordinator will accompany the family on their initial visit and meet with the child’s team
• OCH works with DCFS Interstate Compact Unit for families interested in children residing outside Illinois
• OCH provides resources and referrals to assist the families and children in successful transitions, minimizing the risk of an adoption disruption
• OCH monitors the child in placement for the first six months, prior to the adoption finalization
• OCH reviews financial subsidies provided to the family by the child’s monitoring agency (if applicable)

Requirements for Domestic Adoption:
To adopt an American child through Our Children’s Homestead, one must:

• be 21 years or older
• be single or married
• fulfill DCFS Illinois family licensing requirements
• prove the ability to financially provide for the child
• have no severe criminal background
• indicate a specific, written backup plan for guardianship

For more information about the Domestic Adoptions Program, please contact Ashley Wilkinson, Adoptions Manager, at awilkinson@ourchildrenshomestead.org or call (630) 369-0004.