Is Adoption Easy?

On March 7th, 2020, Adoption Center of Illinois held our annual ACI Gala. First, we want to thank everyone who attended and gave generously to our mission of Helping Children Through Adoption. ACI’s Executive Director, Jane Turner, gave a moving speech that we feel passionate about sharing with you.

Adoption is not easy.

Megan and Mike shared, “We’ve been together for twelve years and have been trying to start a family for five years. Countless consultations, many failed IVFs and a miscarriage. We’re about to give up hope but thought we could explore adoption first”

It’s not easy shifting your focus away from having a biological child

It’s not easy to think about placing a child for adoption.

We received a message from Anita, “I’m pregnant with twins i have a three-year-old son. i want to talk to someone about adoption. This is very hard decision for me, but i think it’s the best option. I’m only twenty i have no income at this time so my phone is off. Please try to reach me by email”

It’s not easy being a parent.

John called me and said, “Our daughter Riley is now 7 and having tremendous struggles in school. When she’s frustrated with math instead of asking for help she’s started becoming very disruptive in class. She’s been sent to the office four times this year and it’s only October. My wife and I don’t agree how we should deal with this and now the two of us have started arguing. I’m at a loss.

It’s not easy being a kid who only wants to sleep in the same bed every night and be part of a safe and loving forever family (and maybe have a sister and a dog and get to play soccer)

Sunshine is nine years old and has been in the foster care system since she was three. She was removed from her home due to physical and emotional abuse and neglect. She’s been in four foster homes over the past six years and recently learned she would not be returning to her mother’s care.

No, none of these are easy circumstances. At ACI we recognize, understand and feel privileged when approached by hopeful adoptive parents, potential birth parents, adoptive parents and when we hear of children waiting to be adopted.

We’re here to support hopeful adoptive parents.

Adoptive mom Margaret told us, “Being a mother was always a dream. Infertility was a living nightmare. Adoption was the hope I needed. My daughter is the love I longed for.”

We’re here to support birth parents

After making an adoption plan for her son, Jackie told us she appreciated, “The kindness, the non-judgmental attitude and the way my ACI counselor cared not only about my child’s needs but also my needs.”

We’re here to support parents

After having a consultation for post-adoption support and getting referrals to new resources, Denise told us, “We’ve seen incredible shifts since utilizing the new resources. In fact, the physical aggression has disappeared and Brandon is having so much more success getting to school, sleeping more easily and deeply, allowing deeper connections and expressing his emotions openly and thoughtfully. It’s like I have my kid back and Brandon is finally able to really access all the tools we’ve been working on. It’s awesome!

We’re here to help children in foster care

I personally worked with two families in 2015 who are here this evening. I want to acknowledge both of them. It was our work with your two families and your relentless pursuit to adopt from the foster care system that was the inspiration for us to formally start our Waiting Child Services program. Over the past four years, 30 children previously in the foster care system have now been placed into their forever families.

No, adoption is not easy, but we provide support to all that contact us. We believe in the power of perseverance in our adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents. We believe that every child, every parent, every hopeful parent has a voice and deserves to be heard. This is what we do, this is why we’re here.

Adoption Center of Illinois is here for you! If you are considering placing a child for adoption or want to know more about any of our adopting programs CONTACT US today.