Featured Stories

From an Adult Adoptee in our DCFS Program:

May 8, 2025

“The information that I received from my closed file search was helpful to me in understanding some of the decisions made by my adoptive parents. It helped give me some…

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From a Client in our DCFS Program:

May 8, 2025

“I received 800 pages. I am grateful for the information. The experience took about 11 months, but it was great communication with updates every few months. I have not completely…

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From a Found Relative in our DCFS Program:

May 8, 2025

“In August of 2024 I was sent a letter by DCFS notifying me my older brother was looking to get in contact with me. I was shocked and a little…

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From a Birth Sibling in Our DCFS Program:

October 9, 2024

“I am grateful for this agency, without them I would not have connection with my birth brother. We have been separated since birth. I am forever grateful to finally be…

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From a Birth Parent Client in the DCFS Program:

October 9, 2024

Before reading this story, please note there is a trigger warning regarding sexual assault. Identifying information about other individuals in this story has also been removed to maintain confidentiality. This…

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From a Birth Sibling in the DCFS Program…

October 1, 2024

“This was a long but very rewarding process. I started in 2016 but my sister was under the age of 21. I exchanged letters with her mother but they stop.…

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From a Surviving Relative of an Adult Adoptee

August 15, 2023

I always wanted to know a little about my father’s bio family. For some reason he didn’t want to talk about it. Unfortunately he passed away. So I used the…

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From a Former Youth In Care

August 15, 2023

“My story is the same as every child raised by the State of Illinois. Growing up under DCFS care was very difficult in the 1960’s. I went through so much…

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From a Former Youth in Care in our DCFS Program:

February 17, 2022

“Sometimes to understand your present, you need to go back to the past. Many times it’s our childhood. For many of us that was a very painful and difficult period…

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From a Former Youth in Care in our DCFS Program:

February 17, 2022

“It was helpful being able to relive my past. I was able to bond with my sibling about some of the memories it brought back up. Reflecting on all the…

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