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The Baby Fold
612 Oglesby Avenue
Normal, IL 61761
Phone: (309) 454-1770
Fax: (309) 454-9257
The Baby Fold provides adoption services to children
of all ages, their birth family members, and their adoptive
parents, throughout the lives of the individuals involved.
Adoption provides permanent homes for children who are
unable to have that permanence with their own birth
families. Most children in need of adoptive homes have
been in foster homes; many require a range of therapeutic
services to help them build trusting relationships with
adults and succeed in adoptive placements. The Baby
Fold also works with birth parents of newborn infants
when those birth parents wish to make an adoption plan
for their children.
Children of all ages, races, and religions are in need
of adoptive homes. Infants may be in need of adoptive
homes because the birth parents do not feel that they
can currently meet the needs of the child. In this instance,
birth parents can make an adoption plan for their child’s
adoptive placement. When making this plan, birth parents
receive counseling on options, including whether to
parent, to ensure that they are making an informed decision.
Other children available for adoption enter the child
welfare system because of a situation that resulted
in the child’s placement in foster care. Most of
the children receiving adoption services are in foster
homes and are adopted by their foster parents. Many
have experienced the effects of abuse, neglect, prenatal
substance abuse, and separation from their birth families.
Parents are given opportunities to correct the conditions
that caused the child to enter foster care. When parents
are not successful in having their children reunited
with them, the Juvenile Court may terminate parental
rights so that children can achieve permanence through
adoption.
The Baby Fold gathers as much information as possible
about children who are in need of adoptive homes in
order to select families that will meet their needs.
At their level of understanding, children receive counseling
to help them understand why they cannot return to their
birth families. Children and adoption workers work together
to create "life books" for children that help
prepare them for adoption. Many children in foster care
who are adopted will be eligible for adoption assistance,
which will provide ongoing financial support, medical
coverage, and counseling services after the adoption
is finalized. All adopted children in Illinois are eligible
to receive free Adoption Preservation services until
they are 18 years old.
Birth parents receive counseling to help
them understand options available to them so that they
can make informed choices. Pregnancy counselors help
them understand the importance of providing complete
information about their family and medical background
so that their child will have that information as they
grow older. Birth parents who make an adoption plan
may choose varying degrees of open communication and
contact that will then be matched with prospective adoptive
parents. When parental rights have been terminated in
Juvenile Court, birth parents do not usually have the
opportunity for any ongoing contact with their children.
Adoptive parents must meet the requirements
specified in the Illinois Adoption Act. Intensive training
and support services are provided to prospective adoptive
parents. They must become licensed and receive training
to help them prepare for the challenges of adoptive
parenting and understand adoption issues. Likewise,
a home study must be completed and approved. The adoption
worker assists adoptive parents withcompleting applications
for Adoption Assistance for children who are eligible
and prepares the adoptive home study and all the necessary
documentation for the court so that the adoption can
be finalized.
Non-relative foster parents must meet all Illinois foster
home licensing standards. Adoptive parents must live
within The Baby Fold’s 50-county service area in
central Illinois.
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 The
Healthy Infant Adoption Program helps people who desire
to adopt newborn to three-year-old children. These
children have been surrendered to The Baby Fold by birth
parents who made an adoption plan.
Fees: For Healthy Caucasian Infant Adoption, The Baby
Fold’s fees range from $7,000 to $10,000 or more,
depending on birth expenses. Adoptive parents also need
to pay legal fees for adoption.
The wait for a child can be from six months to a few
years depending on your openness regarding birth parent
and child history. The Baby Fold encourages adoptive
parents to develop open relationships with birth
families.
Hundreds of children in Illinois are
waiting for adoptive families. These children have come
into care due to abuse, neglect, or dependency issues in
their birth home. Those with the greatest need are:
• Children with physical, emotional, medical,
behavioral, or educational needs
• Children of school age or older
• Siblings who need homes together
There are
no agency fees for the family who adopts a waiting
child. Adoption Assistance may be available to cover
related living, medical, and legal expenses.
The Baby Fold is considered a
supervising agency for International Adoption. This
means that we can complete an adoption homestudy,
provide training, and license adoptive families. We
assist adoptive parents with paperwork for Immigration
and Naturalization Services. The Baby Fold has developed
partnership agreements with four agencies that provide
placement services to the adoptive parents. The Baby
Fold also provides post-placement supervision when the
adoptive parents and children return to the United
States and completes reports requested by the sending
country.
Fees for
International Adoption consist of a $1500 homestudy fee
and a $250 post-placement fee for each visit required by
the sending country.
To begin the adoption process, contact the Adoption
Unit at:
The Baby Fold
612 Oglesby Avenue
Normal, IL 61761
Phone: (309) 454-1770
Fax: (309) 454-9257
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The Baby Fold
612 Oglesby Avenue
Normal, IL 61761
Phone: (309) 454-1770
Fax: (309) 454-9257
Post adoption services are available to adopted
individuals, adoptive parents, and birth parents whose
children have been adopted and birth siblings of the
adopted individual. These services provide counseling,
information, search and reunion services, mediated
contact and referrals to individuals whose lives have
been affected by an adoption that was facilitated by The
Baby Fold.
The Baby Fold offer post adoption services to birth
parents that can enable them to send and receive
information through The Baby Fold, if the adoptive
parents agree. The Baby Fold also assists birth parents
in facilitating contact with children surrendered for
adoption after those children are adults, if the
children are willing to have contact.
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The Baby Fold
612 Oglesby Avenue
Normal, IL 61761
Phone: (309) 454-1770
Fax: (309) 454-9257
The Baby Fold’s pregnancy counseling program provides
counseling and support services to expectant parents to
assist them in dealing with options related to the
pregnancy, birth, and future care of their child. Birth
parents identify what needs to be addressed, including
medical care, financial assistance, housing, employment,
educational services, child care, parenting and
adoption.
An assessment is completed to help birth parents
identify the needs that they have related to the
pregnancy. Areas that can be discussed include:
- Medical care
- Financial assistance
- Housing
- Parental rights
- Employment
- Parenting
- Adoption
- Foster care
- Child development
- Educational services
- Baby care
- Individual, couple, and family counseling.
- Grief and loss
- Preventing future unplanned pregnancies
- Decision making
- Living arrangements
- Building healthy relationships
- Prevention of STDs and AIDS
The desired outcome is that the birth parents will
make a decision that will meet the needs of the child.
When individuals choose to parent their
child, The Baby Fold offers Family Support Services to
ensure that parents have the resources and support
needed to be the best possible parents. Services offered
include assistance in locating housing, parenting
classes, seeking employment, and childcare.
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 In
making an adoption plan for a child, birth parents are
placing the needs of the child above their own. Adoption
may be the most loving decision that they can make.
In order to legally make an adoption plan for a child,
both birth parents must sign surrender documents in
front of a counselor or a judge. If the birth father is
uncooperative or cannot be located, legal steps can
facilitate this process. Birth parents are assisted in
this process every step of the way.
When individuals choose to make an adoption plan for
their child, The Baby Fold carefully prepares adoptive
families for the adoption experience. Adoptive families
go through an intensive home study and licensing process
before being approved. Adoptive parents are educated
about the benefits of ongoing contact and communication
with birth parents. Adoptive parents make commitments
regarding the level of openness with birth parents that
they are willing to accept. Birth parents are presented
with the profiles of adoptive families that accept the
level of openness that the birth parents desire. Birth
parents can be actively involved in the selection of an
adoptive family by choosing from several adoptive family
profiles. Birth parents’ requests and preferences are
taken seriously. Birth parents may also meet the
adoptive parents, if they choose to do so.
The Baby Fold believes it is important to share
information about the birth parents with the adoptive
parents so that they can answer the child’s questions as
the child grows. It is also important for a child to
know the birth family’s medical history.
Birth parents may see their child following delivery.
We encourage birth parents to spend time with the baby
prior to placement. When birth parents are certain that
they want to make an adoption plan for their child, it
is possible to place the child directly with the
adoptive family. When birth parents have any doubts, the
child can live for a short period of time with a foster
family that is licensed by The Baby Fold, while the
birth parents make their final decision. Visits between
the birth parents and the child can be arranged during
this time.
Each adoption plan includes an agreement between the
birth parents and adoptive parents that The Baby Fold
facilitates and that addresses their desires for ongoing
communication and contact. The options for ongoing
communication and contact range from very little
communication, to contact that is mediated by The Baby
Fold, to a very open adoption arrangement. The agreement
seeks to respect the wishes of everyone involved. The
agreement is flexible, as the needs of the birth
parents, adoptive parents, and child may change over
time. Serving the best interests of the child is always
at the heart of these agreements.
Prior to the final adoption hearing, The Baby Fold
asks adoptive parents to share photographs and reports
with the birth parents regarding the child’s adjustment.
The Baby Fold can help facilitate contact between the
birth parents and the adoptive parents via letters and
pictures over the years.
The Baby Fold offers a birth parent
support group to assist birth parents in connecting with
others who understand the loss of making an adoption
plan for a child. This group can help birth parents heal
from this experience. Any birth parent who has made an
adoption plan for a child is invited to join the birth
parent support group. This group provides an opportunity
for healing, emotional support and personal growth.
Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of every month
from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. at The Baby Fold, 612 Oglesby
Ave., Normal, IL 61761.
To learn more about the birth parent support group, or
to sign up, contact:
The Baby Fold
612 Oglesby Avenue
Normal, IL 61761
Phone: (309) 454-1770
Fax: (309) 452-9257
Information you share with us is
confidential. If you wish, we can help you talk with
others involved in planning for your pregnancy.
Only if you wish to do so. We want to
help you be a parent to your child if that is your
choice. We will assist you in finding the resources and
information you need so that you can be the best
possible parent for your child.
You can actively be involved in the
selection of an adoptive family. The amount of
information that you will know about the adoptive family
is based on the level of openness you desire. You will
also receive information about the adoptive family from
their family profile which is a photo album that shares
the family’s history and reasons they are wishing to
adopt.
Yes, you can choose to do so. Your
counselor will tell you about the various levels of
openness you can have in adoption. You can choose the
level, type, and frequency of contact you desire to have
with the adoptive family you select.
The Baby Fold believes it is important
to share non-identifying information about you with the
adoptive parents because your child will ask questions
about you as he or she grows. Also, sharing information
about you and your family’s medical history and social
background is important for the care of your child. This
sharing of non-identifying information is especially
important if you choose not to have an open or semi-open
adoption.
Yes! We encourage you to spend as much
time as you want with your baby prior to placement.
Yes, if you are certain that you want to
make an adoption plan for your child. If you have any
doubts, your child can live for a short period of time
with you or with a foster family that is licensed and
supervised by The Baby Fold, while you make your final
decision. Visits between you and your child can be
arranged during this time.
Yes. If you choose an open adoption you
can get this information first hand from the adoptive
family. If not, prior to the final adoption hearing, The
Baby Fold asks adoptive parents to share photographs and
reports regarding your child’s progress. The Baby Fold
can facilitate contact between you and the adoptive
parents via letters and pictures over the years in a
semi-open adoption.
In Illinois, you and the father of your
child will have to sign surrender documents in front of
your counselor or a judge. If the birth father is
uncooperative or cannot be located, legal steps can be
taken to facilitate this process. You will be assisted
every step of the way.
Yes! In making an adoption plan for your
child, you are placing the needs of your child above
your own. Adoption may be the most loving decision you
can make.
Can The Baby Fold provide any financial assistance?
Health insurance or public assistance will usually pay
medical expenses. If this is not true for you, your
medical expenses related to the pregnancy will be
covered if you make an adoption plan through The Baby
Fold.
We can assist you in looking for
housing, maternity home care, and foster family care.
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- We’re here for you as long as you need us, before
and after your baby is born.
- We will work with you to help you make the best
possible decision for you and your baby.
- Counseling is always free to you and anyone else
involved in the pregnancy.
- If you cannot travel to us, we will come to you –
anywhere in Central Illinois.The Baby Fold’s pregnancy
counseling program is completely voluntary,
confidential, and free of charge. Services are
available to the expectant mother, the father of the
child, and other family members or significant
individuals that the birth parents choose to involve.
Anyone living within a 100-mile radius of The Baby
Fold that desires The Baby Fold’s service is eligible.
Services can be provided in the individual’s home
community if that is most convenient. Counselors at
The Baby Fold are trained to help you with the
difficult decisions you need to make.
For more information or to make an appointment,
contact the pregnancy counseling program at:
The Baby Fold
612 Oglesby Avenue
Normal, IL 61761
Phone: (309) 454-1770
Fax: (309) 454-9257
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