Adoption Options
Healthy Infant and Toddler, Domestic
Program
This program's goal is to provide a healthy infant and toddler of any ethnicity into a loving home of a couple who has infertility and is longing for a child to complete their family. You will be working with dedicated staff who will be caring and supportive to you as you walk on this life long journey of adoption. They will serve as a guide and advocate for you by providing your home study, education, post placement services, and license as required by the state of Illinois.
The healthy infant and toddler program works alongside ECFA's Pregnancy Support Service team. Women who come to ECFA for services receive free confidential counseling, assistance, and support. If a woman chooses adoption for her child, she will be able to view profiles of the families in the healthy infant program. (View waiting families). The birth family then has the opportunity to choose the family they would like to see raise their child.
Together, we provide education to our families and prospective birth parents regarding adoption and more specifically openness in adoption. (Openness definition and myths.) Most birth mothers want to meet the adoptive couple before and after the birth of their child. They prefer to have letters and pictures on a regular basis as well. ECFA will help facilitate that relationship with the hope that a relationship will be built and sustained throughout the child/s life. The highest priority is what is best for the child.
| Cost of Healthy Infant Adoption - Orientation Schedule |
Special Needs, Domestic Program
ECFA's special needs program seeks to provide loving, Christian homes to children who are waiting to be adopted throughout the United States. Waiting, special needs children are defined as:
| 1. | A child in the foster care program due to abuse or neglect. | |
| 2. | A child that was born with physical disabilities and needs a special family to care for and love them. | |
| 3. | A child who has a mental or emotional disability that is correctable through treatment, surgery, or other specialized services. | |
| 4. | A child who has an irreversible or non-correctable physical, mental, or emotional disability. | |
| 5. | Children who are part of a sibling group where one of the children meets the requirements mentioned above. |
Children who have been abused or neglected often
develop specific coping behaviors that make it difficult for them to
feel love and trust towards adults. The idea of becoming part of a
"forever family" is difficult for them to accept, and they will need a
family who will advocate for them and provide them treatment as
necessary.
ECFA's adoption team will help you as you search for a waiting child.
Often, this search is done through a variety of websites which have
pictures and short narratives about the child. These children are
located throughout the United States. It will be necessary for the
family to travel to visit with that child before accepting them into
their home on a permanent basis. Please contact us to find out more
information on this challenging but gratifying program.
| Cost of Special Needs Adoption - Orientation Schedule |
International / Agency-Assisted Program
ECFA has knowledgeable, dedicated staff who will help facilitate your adoption if you are choosing to do so internationally. We have a partnership with specific agencies with whom you would be working with for the placement of your child or children. ECFA will provide you with a home study, education, an Illinois foster home license, and post adoption services. We will also help you as you work through the immigration processes by helping facilitate travel Visas for you and your child.
Your fees with ECFA will only be for the services we provide. The average amount of an international, agency-assisted adoption with ECFA is $4,000.00. This will vary depending on the amount of post adoption visits that are needed for the country you are choosing to adopt from as well as immigration updates for expired home studies.
ECFA's agency-assisted program is also for couples who have identified a birth mother or a child through another source. We will, once again, provide the home study and post placement services for you as required in the state of Illinois. We will also take care of the interstate forms and regulations that may be needed. ECFA is dedicated to providing the best possible services for our clients. We will be with you the entire way as you walk on your adoption journey.
Cost of Agency
Assisted Adoption - Orientation
Schedule
