The Cradle
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The Cradle is an adoption agency and nonprofit provider of adoption services, counseling, and educational support. Call 800-CRADLE4 (800-272-3534).
The Cradle is a nonprofit, licensed child welfare agency providing adoption services, counseling and educational support. Since opening in 1923, The Cradle has facilitated over 16,000 domestic and international adoptions and has been at the forefront of open adoption, African American infant adoption and LGBTQ+ placements. Our team of social workers, counselors, and education and outreach staff offer ethical, inclusive and lifelong support to tens of thousands of people touched by adoption, including birth parents, adopted persons, and adoptive parents. Services include options counseling for women facing unplanned pregnancies, placement services, pre- and post-adoption education, an adoption-competent clinical therapy program, post-adoption services to provide information about and/or connect individuals with birth relatives, as well as training for prospective adoptive parents and professionals through Adoption Learning Partners (ALP). The Cradle is the only adoption agency in the country with an on-site nursery, a safe, neutral place for infants to stay while their parents take the time they need to decide if adoption will be the plan for this child. Learn more at Cradle.org or call 847-475-5800. Want to speak with a Cradle counselor about an unplanned pregnancy or to discuss possible adoption for your baby?
28/09/2026
Last week, The Cradle was honored to welcome guests from Osaka, Japan, as part of the Chicago-Osaka Social Services Exchange, a professional program connecting social work and welfare experts from Chicago and its sister city, Osaka.
We spent the afternoon sharing about adoption practices in the U.S. and the work we do at The Cradle, while also learning about adoption in Japan. Our guests had the opportunity to hear directly from an adoptive family, making for a meaningful exchange of experiences and perspectives. We’re grateful for the opportunity to connect, learn and share across cultures!
Chicago Sister Cities International
27/09/2026
Understanding what a child is going through can take time and perspective. For children who are adopted, early experiences can shape emotions and behavior in ways that may not seem directly related to adoption. Read how one Cradle parent came to understand how deeply her daughter's adoption story was intertwined with the struggles she was facing, and how making that connection led to more effective support: https://bit.ly/3PVonBQ
26/09/2026
Subscribe to The Cradle Blog Newsletter to stay up to date on our latest resources! In our last issue, we released Identity, Emotions and Cultural Context in Family Health History. Be the first to see this month's blog by subscribing today: https://bit.ly/43OKmNk
25/09/2026
"We are Juan, Berenice and Luz. We are a family of three hoping to grow our family through adoption. Becoming parents to our daughter, Luz, has been one of the greatest blessings of our lives. We hope that as you read our story and look through our pictures, you will get a glimpse of the love, joy, faith and family that fill our home."
Learn more about Juan, Berenice and Luz: https://bit.ly/3TzZ4as
24/09/2026
Health care professionals: This is your last chance to join Cradle counselor Carmen Knight for a FREE webinar helping you navigate the complexities of adoption so you can be there for your patients. This training is the first of a two-part series that walks hospital staff through various real-life situations with an adoption resource they can trust. This webinar is eligible for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credit for social workers, licensed clinical professional counselors and nurses.
Save Your Seat: https://bit.ly/4h4T94Z
23/09/2026
We invite you to visit The Cradle on select days! A Cradle staff member will guide you through our building, including the Nursery, sharing its rich history and answering your questions. Reserve your spot: https://bit.ly/4ihEhPB
22/09/2026
Are you a descendant of an adopted person or a descendant of a birth parent? Join us for Across Generations of Adoption. Over three guided sessions, you will connect with others to discuss, share, and reflect on the following:
- Family Dialogue: When and how adoption was discussed in your family, or wasn't
- Generational Impact: How adoption impacted your parent's choices, relationships and parenting style
- Information and Connection: The importance of having information or making contact
- Personal Reflection: How this family history directly impacts your own life
Join us at 7 p.m. Central on Wednesdays, Oct. 14-28. Register today: https://bit.ly/4xnZhfv
21/09/2026
Parents of 5th and 6th graders: This is your LAST CHANCE to sign up for The Cradle's next session of W.I.S.E. Up! Join the more than 20,000 children from adoptive families who have built self-awareness, resilience, and communication skills to navigate questions about their families and experiences.
Join us on Saturday, September 26: https://bit.ly/3w5L24f
20/09/2026
Sometimes, the parenting strategies that work for one child just don’t work for another. When things escalate quickly, it can be hard to know what to try next. In StageWise Parenting’s featured September webinar, author and parent coach Tina Feigal shares practical strategies for reducing intensity, responding differently and creating more peace at home.
Get tools you can start using right away: https://bit.ly/4ybgatY
19/09/2026
Parents of 5th and 6th graders: The Cradle's next session of W.I.S.E. Up!® is only one week away, but there's still time to sign up! Join the more than 20,000 children from adoptive families have been helped byW.I.S.E. UP!
Join us for The Cradle's next session on Saturday, September 26: https://bit.ly/3w5L24f