Family & Safety

There are different ways to find more information about a past adoption. If you are one of the following, you can register with the Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange (the “Registry”) and can request information from the Registry:

• Immediate birth family members of an adopted person or of the birth parents of an adopted person,
• Adoptive parents or legal guardians of an adopted person under 21 years old, 
• Adopted persons over 21 years old, 
• Surviving spouses of an adopted person, or 
• Adult children of a deceased adopted person.  

The information one will be able to obtain will depend on whether the other party has consented to that information being disclosed and, if relying on the Registry, will depend on who else has registered and what information they have supplied to the Registry. There is further information and applicable forms on the Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange website.

If the adoption was handled by an agency, any such person can also contact the agency to request information. If the agency is no longer operating, you can engage a Confidential Intermediary (CI) to obtain a non-identifying information report.

If the adopted person was previously under the care of the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) (if they were a ward of the state or DCFS handled the adoption), you may be able to obtain information from DCFS or the Midwest Adoption Center.  You can also ask for help locating someone from whom you were separated due to placement through DCFS.

People trying to find someone involved in the adoption can register with the Registry and should then petition the court to assign a Confidential Intermediary (CI). The CI can search through records about the adoption. When the CI finds the person, they will help both sides agree on contact. Both sides have a right to keep their name secret. Direct contact will not happen unless both sides agree.

For more information, call (847) 298-9096 or use the Confidential Intermediary Illinois website.