General
Q: When did Little City Foundation begin?
A: Little City Foundation was incorporated in 1957 and officially opened on Oct. 1, 1959.
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Q: Why was Little City Foundation started?
A: Little City Foundation was started by a group of parents who were concerned that their children deserved better care than what was provided by institutions of that time. These parents strongly believed their children should have the same opportunities as any other child, including education, training, vocational and, above all, love and encouragement. With “equal opportunity,” their children could reach beyond what the “experts” thought, and become all that they could be.
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Q: What is Little City’s mission?
A: The mission of Little City Foundation is to ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are provided with the best options and opportunities to live safely, work productively, explore creatively, learn continuously and play pleasurably throughout their lifetime.
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Q: Where is Little City located?
A: Little City’s main campus is located at 1760 W. Algonquin Road in Palatine, Ill. We have a beautiful 56-acre campus in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Little City also has offices in Chicago.
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Q: Does Little City provide residential care?
A: Yes. We offer residential services for children who are at least 6 years old, and to adults of any age.
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Q: What disabilities do you serve?
A: We serve any person with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our extensive programs are available to children and adults who have mental retardation, Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and other disabilities, as well as visual, behavioral, hearing and emotional disabilities.
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Q: What kind of programs do you provide?
A: We provide a full range of programs, including various residential services for children and adults; vocational programs; foster care and adoption services; in-home services to families who prefer to keep their child at home; an award-winning arts program; recreational therapy and Special Olympics competition; and more.
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Q: Do I need to be a resident of Little City to participate in your programs?
A: No. Many of our programs are available to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who do not live at Little City. We welcome all who would like to take part in our programs.
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Q: How do I enroll my child or adult at Little City?
A: Enrollment can be a lengthy process, and we encourage families to start the process early. We encourage you to call our main number at 847-358-5510 to inquire about the enrollment process.
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Adoption
Q: Who is eligible to adopt?
A:
To be eligible to adopt a child through Little City, the following criteria must be met:
- Be at least 21 years of age
- Hold a valid driver's license
- Pass a background check
- Provide a safe home environment as outlined by IDCFS' Foster/Adoptive Home 402 Licensing Standards
Little City is looking for loving families regardless of age, race, creed, gender, sexual orientation, gender identification, gender expression, income or education level.
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Q: How much do your services cost?
A: There are no costs involved if you adopt a child from Illinois’ foster care system. Attorney and court costs are paid by the Department of Children and Family Services. Fees for home study assessments for private adoptions range from $1,500 to $2,000. Be sure to ask the adoption agency and/or attorney you are working with what is required in order for you to adopt the child you have located. You may be required to be licensed, or receive post-placement services, which both have fees involved.
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Q: Do we have to complete certain trainings before a child can be placed in our home?
A: Yes, all adoptive parents must attend DCFS Foster/Adopt PRIDE trainings, or Little City Foundation training. All adoptive parents must complete DCFS Education Advocacy training and Infant-Child CPR before becoming licensed. Other training may be recommended to you based on the needs of the child you are looking to have placed in your home, such as trainings about drug exposure or behavior techniques. For some private adoptions, you may have to be licensed in the State of Illinois and certain trainings would be required. Be sure to ask the adoption agency and/or attorney with whom you are working.
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Q: Can we adopt a child from another state?
A: Yes, but there are fees involved in this. You will be responsible for paying for your home study. Be aware that some states cannot reimburse you for home study or other fees, and may not be able to provide adoption assistance. If you are interested in adopting a child from another state, you are expected to do most of the “legwork” involved in this search, including researching waiting children lists in other states, calling case workers and following up on the child’s availability for adoption. We will assist you in sending out your home study to other states and provide consultation about the child’s needs and what services may be needed for the child and family after placement. You would also be responsible for covering the costs involved with mandatory agency monitoring visits post-placement, and paying for any written reports needed, such as the report to the Adoption Court.
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Q: What is a home study?
A: A home study (sometimes called an adoption study) is required to adopt a child. A home study is not just a visit to the home of people who want to adopt to see if it is clean and neat. Much information is gathered over several visits to make sure your family is ready for an adoptive placement of a child and also to help you understand how to parent children who are coming from the foster care system.
The home study is also an educational experience and an opportunity for prospective parents to learn about important adoption issues, such as how and when to explain adoption to a child. If you want to adopt an older child or children, you will learn about behavior that may be displayed by children who have been abused or neglected, and receive suggestions on effective parenting.
The home study process is also a chance for families to assess their own strengths and approaches to parenting and to explore what types of children (i.e., what ages, types of behaviors, disabilities and/or medical issues) that your family can cope with and successfully parent. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or to admit that you don’t think your family can handle certain behaviors or disabilities. The adoption team needs to have this information in order to make an accurate assessment and a successful match between a child and your family.
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Q: What is the process of getting a child placed in my home?
A: If you are interested in Little City Foundation’s Adoption Program, you can attend an orientation meeting to see if this program is the right match for you. You then would meet with the Family Development Specialist to complete the application paperwork, schedule trainings and home visits in order to complete the home study process. Once all the requirements are met, we will work with the Department of Children and Family Services to get you licensed. From there, you will work with the Adoption Specialist assigned to you to begin the matching process to locate a child. Please indicate whether you are interested in child welfare adoption or our services for private adoption.
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Q: How long is the wait for a child?
A: How long you wait depends on what type of child you are looking to adopt. If you are looking to adopt a child from the foster care system with very few needs between the ages of birth to five, you may wait for several years. Families who are willing to take older children, children with special needs, or sibling groups will wait about two to 18 months.
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Q: How long does the child have to be in our home before we can officially adopt?
A: The child must be in your home for at least six months before the adoption can be finalized. Sometimes it may take longer to finalize, based on certain legal aspects of the child’s case, or if Little City Foundation believes it is in the best interest of the child to wait a little longer to ensure that the placement is stable and that all services are in place.
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Q: What services are available after we adopt?
A: Children adopted from Illinois’ foster care system are eligible for adoption assistance, which includes financial assistance until the child turns 18, and health insurance through Medicaid. Other services may be covered through this assistance after adoption, based on the child’s needs. Little City Foundation also provides clinical and other support services for families dealing with difficult issues relating to adoption, including attachment, loss and other emotional and behavioral issues. Contact us to set up an assessment for services.
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