The Baby Fold
The Baby Fold is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1902 and headquartered in Normal, Illinois, operating Central Illinois' largest child welfare agency with 250+ staff delivering foster care, adoption support, special education, early childhood, and family services to over 1,200 children annually across 19–22 counties.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1902
- HeadquartersNormal, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Baby Fold does
The Baby Fold is a 501(c)(3) non-profit child welfare agency founded in 1902 and headquartered in Normal, Illinois, operating as Central Illinois' largest child welfare organization with more than 250 specially-trained staff. It runs a 12-program continuum spanning early childhood services (Healthy Start home visiting, Caregiver Connections childcare consultation), intervention services (Foster Care, Intact Family Services, Intensive Family Support), academic services (Hammitt Schools serving 190 students from 40 districts), post-adoption support (Adoption Support and Preservation, Respite Care, Camp Take-a-Break), and training/consultation. Programs support over 1,200 children annually across 19–22 Illinois counties, with a fleet logging 500,000+ miles per year to deliver in-home care.
The agency's core technology is a trauma-informed, attachment-focused clinical methodology stack — Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), the proprietary START 24/7 Framework co-developed with Illinois DCFS, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Theraplay, EMDR, the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT), and the Child and Adolescent Wellbeing Scale (CAWS) — delivered by clinical staff and certified through a 3-year Attachment and Trauma Fellowship. A 2024 Center of Excellence in Bloomington now packages this expertise into paid training, consultation, and certification services for school districts and agencies at local, state, and national levels.
Revenue is generated through a mix of Illinois DCFS government contracts (foster care, adoption, intact family services referrals), charitable donations and fundraising (anchored by the annual Festival of Trees gala and supplemented by stocks, securities, IRA rollovers, estate gifts, cryptocurrency, and property gifts), grants, and modest training and consultation fees ($5–$550 per registrant). Services to children and families are provided at no cost; the donor-funded and contract-funded model is structurally distinct from a commercial SaaS or product business.
The Baby Fold firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Baby Fold
- Legal name
- The Baby Fold
- Website
- https://thebabyfold.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1902
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The Baby Fold is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1902 and headquartered in Normal, Illinois, operating Central Illinois' largest child welfare agency with 250+ staff delivering foster care, adoption support, special education, early childhood, and family services to over 1,200 children annually across 19–22 counties.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Baby Fold industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Child Welfare Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (624110)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Autism (ASD) Support Childcare (HSAAAIAA), Parenting Education for Special Needs & Developmental Differences (EDACALAK), Drop-In / Flexible Infant & Toddler Care (EDACAGAG)
Keywords
Where The Baby Fold is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Normal
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
The Baby Fold business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: The Baby Fold relies heavily on charitable donations from individuals, businesses, and community organizations. Major annual fundraiser is the Festival of Trees. Also accepts stocks, securities, IRA charitable rollovers, estate gifts, cryptocurrency, and farmland/property gifts.
- Government Contracts: Revenue from Illinois DCFS for foster care, adoption, and family support services. Services for children removed from their homes by DCFS are referred to The Baby Fold's programs.
- Training and Consultation Fees: Fees charged for professional training programs including TBRI caregiver training (free), professional workshops ($30-$550), Circle of Security training ($30), EMDR training ($275), and continuing education units.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One time | Free training for Baby Fold staff and families |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Standard public training fees |
| Other | Other | Free services for eligible families |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
The Baby Fold product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Baby Fold provides child welfare, special education, and family support services to vulnerable children and families across Central Illinois. Its core offerings include foster care placement, adoption support and preservation services, the Hammitt special education schools for students with autism and emotional/behavioral disorders, the Healthy Start early intervention home-visiting program, and Intact Family Services case management. The organization also delivers fee-based professional training, consultation, and a 3-year Attachment and Trauma Fellowship certification program to schools, agencies, and child welfare professionals at local, state, and national levels.
Product overview
The Baby Fold is a multi-service child welfare agency offering a comprehensive portfolio of 12 programs spanning early childhood services, foster care and adoption, special education, and family support. The core programs include Hammitt Schools (elementary on Willow and junior/senior high on Oglesby) providing special education for students with autism and emotional/behavioral disorders; Healthy Start for early intervention; Caregiver Connections for childcare provider support; Foster Care and Adoption services; Intact Family Services; Community Schools; Camp Programs including Camp Take-a-Break respite; Respite Care; and professional Training and Certification programs including the Attachment and Trauma Fellowship. The organization serves Central Illinois with over 250 staff members helping families heal and grow.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hammitt Schools: Special education schools operated by The Baby Fold, including Hammitt School on Willow (elementary) and Hammitt School on Oglesby (junior/senior high).
- Festival of Trees
- Healthy Start
- Adoption Support and Preservation (ASAP)
- Community Schools
- Camp Take-a-Break
Products and services
- Hammitt School on Willow Accredited elementary school providing special education services for children from kindergarten through 5th/6th grade whose intensive needs cannot be met in public school special education programs.
- Hammitt School on Oglesby Junior/senior high school serving 190 students age 12-21 from 40 surrounding school districts, providing autism services, individualized special education, crisis and therapeutic interventions, and vocational education.
- Healthy Start Program Early intervention program providing bi-weekly home visits during pregnancy and weekly visits during the first nine months of the baby's life, featuring family support workers who help mothers bond with their children and build safe environments.
- Caregiver Connections Program Early childhood development specialists travel to daycare centers and preschools to help childcare providers identify and respond to children's emotional and behavioral needs, now serving 19 counties across Illinois.
- Foster Care Programs providing safe, nurturing home environments for children removed from their homes by DCFS, including relative foster care and traditional foster care with licensed families.
- Adoption Support and Preservation (ASAP) Supports families who have adopted children under DCFS guardianship with consultation, resources, and professional therapy at no cost. Currently serves 290 clients from 22 counties in Illinois.
- Intact Family Services Comprehensive case management services, advocacy, support, referrals, and education for families at risk of losing their children, with a reported 95% success rate of ending abuse and neglect.
- Community Schools Program Social workers embedded in Cedar Ridge and Fairview Elementary Schools to identify and support trauma-impacted children and their families, helping students remain in their local public school.
- Respite Care Program Provides short-term planned breaks for adoptive families through Respite Reimbursement and Camp Take-a-Break, currently serving 79 children with about 40 regularly attending camp sessions.
- Training, Consultation, and Certification Services Training and consultation services offered to school districts, agencies, and organizations at local, state, and national levels, covering trauma-informed care, Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), and specialty workshops.
- Attachment and Trauma Fellowship and Certification Program Three-year intensive training program allowing therapists to achieve Certification in Attachment and Trauma Therapy through a structured educational experience with support from seasoned professionals.
- Autism Services Program serving ages 3-21 designed to meet the needs of students with autism and/or severe communication disorders who cannot be served in less restrictive classroom settings.
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% of families served by Intact Family Services stay together and remain intact; 95% success rate of ending abuse and neglect
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Baby Fold
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Baby Fold technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The Baby Fold partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Child Trauma AcademycorePartnership for Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) training and certification as part of The Baby Fold's Attachment and Trauma Fellowship program.
- Karyn Purvis Institute for Child Development (TCU)corePartnership for Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) training and practitioner certification. The Baby Fold had input on development and pilot testing of NTI training.
- Attachment and Trauma Center of NebraskacorePartnership for Integrative EMDR training and certification for attachment trauma in children protocol.
- The Theraplay InstitutecorePartnership for Theraplay training including Marschak Interaction Method assessment and interventions with families.
- Chestnut Health SystemscoreCollaboration in 2020 to add Recovery Coordinators to aid Intact Family Services clients with substance abuse-related issues.
- Council on AccreditationminorAccrediting body for The Baby Fold's Attachment and Trauma Fellowship and Certification Program.
- ABLE Center (Neuropsychology Center for Attention, Behavior & Learning)corePartnership with Dr. Jennifer Imig-Huffman for neuropsychology services supporting the Fellowship program.
- Illinois Great Rivers AlliancecoreFormed in 2007 with four other United Methodist affiliated agencies to create a collaborative alliance serving the region.
- McLean County System of CarecorePartnership sponsoring training programs including START 24/7 and Integrated Clinical Interventions.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Baby Fold competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Children's Home & Aid: Illinois-based non-profit delivering foster care, adoption, intact family services, early childhood, and counseling across the state. The closest Illinois peer, operating a similar integrated service model with comparable DCFS funding mechanics.
- National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP): Non-profit providing foster care, adoption, family preservation, and behavioral health services nationwide. Comparable to The Baby Fold's continuum of community-based services and government-contract operating model.
- UCAN: Chicago-based non-profit providing foster care, behavioral health, and youth development services to Illinois DCFS-referred youth. A direct peer in Illinois child welfare with overlapping trauma-informed programming and government-contract funding.
- Bethany Christian Services: National non-profit providing foster care, adoption, and family preservation services across many U.S. states. Directly comparable to The Baby Fold's core foster/adoption/family-support continuum and reliance on faith-based funding and DCFS-style referrals.
- Maryville Academy: Chicago-area non-profit offering residential care, foster care, special education, and family services for at-risk youth. Comparable to The Baby Fold in mission, funding model, and Illinois child-welfare contracting footprint.
- Chamberlain International School: Residential therapeutic special education school serving students with autism, emotional/behavioral disorders, and learning differences. Comparable to Hammitt Schools in mission and student population, though operating as a residential rather than day-school model.
- Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois: Faith-based Illinois non-profit delivering counseling, foster care, adoption, and family preservation. Comparable to The Baby Fold in mission, faith affiliation, service portfolio, and reliance on DCFS-style state contracting.
- KVC Health Systems: Non-profit providing foster care, adoption, in-home family services, and behavioral health across several states. Directly comparable to The Baby Fold's integrated child-welfare model and reliance on government contracts for foster care and family preservation.
Broad incumbents
- KidsPeace: National non-profit operating residential treatment, special education, and community-based behavioral health programs for children. A broader incumbent comparable to The Baby Fold's Hammitt Schools and trauma-informed offerings, but at national scale.
- Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: Large national non-profit providing behavioral health, autism services, residential, and special education across multiple states. Comparable to The Baby Fold's Hammitt Schools and autism services but operating as a much larger, geographically diversified incumbent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Baby Fold social profiles
Digital presenceThe Baby Fold compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
The Baby Fold financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Baby Fold leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
The Baby Fold funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Baby Fold M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Baby Fold
What does The Baby Fold do?
The Baby Fold provides child welfare, special education, and family support services to vulnerable children and families across Central Illinois. Its core offerings include foster care placement, adoption support and preservation services, the Hammitt special education schools for students with autism and emotional/behavioral disorders, the Healthy Start early intervention home-visiting program, and Intact Family Services case management. The organization also delivers fee-based professional training, consultation, and a 3-year Attachment and Trauma Fellowship certification program to schools, agencies, and child welfare professionals at local, state, and national levels.
Is The Baby Fold a public or private company?
The Baby Fold is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Baby Fold founded?
The Baby Fold was founded in 1902. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is The Baby Fold based?
The Baby Fold is headquartered in Normal, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Baby Fold make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are government Contracts and training and Consultation Fees.
Who are The Baby Fold's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Children's Home & Aid, National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP), UCAN, Bethany Christian Services, Maryville Academy, Chamberlain International School, Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois and KVC Health Systems. Broad incumbents are KidsPeace and Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health.
Does The Baby Fold have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Baby Fold.
What industry is The Baby Fold in?
The Baby Fold's product category is Child Welfare Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAE, Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services, with a secondary code of HSAAAIAA, Autism (ASD) Support Childcare. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.