The Department works with local media outlets that sponsor their own adoption recruitment drives. For example, WGN-TV's "Waiting Child" series showcases children who are legally free for adoption. The segments are broadcast weekly and syndicated throughout Illinois and the country.

In July, 1999, Freddie Mac Foundation, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), and NBC 5. Chicago collaborated to produce Wednesday’s Child, a weekly televised adoption feature to help recruit families for Chicago-area foster children who need immediate adoptive homes.

The Department has also worked with WGN-TV's The Waiting Child media campaign. Moderated by its originator, Merri Dee, The Waiting Child is built around two-minute public service announcements that advocate adoption. Each announcement opens with an on-camera appearance of Dee offering poignant commentary on the need for foster and adoptive families, as well as an insight into the rewards of adoptive and foster parenting. Each announcement continues with a cameo profile of at least one child waiting to be adopted. The announcements close with Dee providing information on how to apply to become an adoptive or foster parent. In 2001, Merri Dee, WGN-TV's Director of Community Relations, received a national Adoption 2002 Excellence Award in the category of Individual and/or Family Contributions from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Adoption recruitment is also being enhanced with the development of a strong Local Area Network of providers, as described in the chapter on Departmental reforms. The LAN structure will make targeted recruitment more efficient, especially for African-American homes. Secondly, the children who are eligible for adoption will be known to a broader team of stakeholders who will advocate for appropriate termination of parental rights, provide important support for earlier court decisions and conduct informal recruitment activities on behalf of the children.

The Department also sponsors adoption conferences and special events aimed at recruiting adoptive and foster families, as well as to show appreciation to those who have already become adoptive and foster parents. The Department also supports conferences for adoption workers. Each year more than 20,000 foster and adoptive family members also attend August state fairs events held in Springfield and DuQuoin.

The Department provides adoption preservation services aimed at preventing the disruption of adoptive placements.