Should i search for my birth mother

Some jurisdictions are more restrictive about the release of information from adoption records. Identifying Information is information from an adoption record that would generally lead to the positive identification of the Birth Parents or other birth relatives. It may include current and past names, addresses, employment, or other similar records or information.

Laws in nearly all states allow the release of identifying information when the person whose information is sought has given their consent to the release. As mentioned above, many states use a Mutual Consent registry. It is a way for individuals or parties directly involved in adoptions to indicate their willingness to have their identifying information released. Procedures vary from state to state, but most registries require consent of at least one Birth Parent and an adoptee over the age of 18 or 21, or of Adoptive Parents if the adoptee is a minor.

When an adoption is finalized, a new birth certificate for the adopted child is usually issued to the Adoptive Parents. The original birth certificate is then sealed and kept confidential by the State Registrar. In the past, nearly all states required an adoptee to obtain a court order to gain access to their original birth certificate.

However, the laws have changed in many states allowing earlier access to these confidential records:. For more information and to find contact information for a state agency or department that assists with accessing adoption records, go to Child Welfare Information Gateway at the link below. Most adults are very aware of their family history, and for the most part, have had the ability to ask for additional information as they grew up.

However, this may not be the case for adult adoptees, who may have questions about everything surrounding their adoption — background, biological parents, extended family, medical history, and the circumstances surrounding their adoption. Placements were made in secret and Adoptive Parents were instructed not to tell the child that they were adopted.

Even birth records and certificates were known to include misinformation in an effort to shield both the Birth and Adoptive Parents, as well as the adopted child.

Over the years, society has changed, and adoption no longer carries the stigma and shame as it did nearly years ago. The argument for Closed Records continues is that it protects the right to privacy for Birth Parents.

Open Records with Restrictions is a compromise approach. Some information could be provided only through an intermediary, with parental permission and limited in its scope and time.

As each state has its own regulations regarding adopting records, legislators, and adoption movement groups grapple with the pros and cons of open and closed adoptions.

For additional information regarding Open and Closed Records, please click on the following links:. States with Open Adoption Records. Access to Adoption Records. American Adoption Congress. No one can stop you from looking for or contacting your birth family, however most search groups and professionals will only work with someone who is of age 18 or 21, dependent upon the state , or with the consent of the Adoptive Parents.

Before you begin your search, you need to be aware of the possible outcomes: you find no information at all, you get the name of your Birth Parent s but cannot locate them, you discover your Birth Parent s have died, you locate your Birth Parent s or birth family and they are not what you expected or want nothing to do with you, you find your Birth Parent s or birth family and they welcome you into their lives without limitations.

You need to examine your expectations if you find your Birth Parents. Relationships with Birth Siblings. Relationships with Birth Parents. Visits with Birth Family: What to Expect.

Changes in Birth Family Contact. Connecting on Social Media. Adoptee Support Groups. Scholarships for Adoptees.

Adoption Counseling. Adoptee Blogs. Adoptees Books. Talking About Adoption. Adoption Info. Adoption Overview — An Introduction to Adoption.

Understanding the True Meaning of Adoption. What Are Your Adoption Options? Staying Up to Date on Adoption News. Thoughts from a Birth Mother. Know Your Rights. Come Together. Adopt or Abort. Foster Care. Foster Care Adoption Basics.

Can I Adopt a Foster Child? How to Adopt a Foster Child in 7 Steps. How Hard is it to Adopt a Foster Child? Fostering to Adopt. Can a Foster Parent Adopt? How to Foster to Adopt. About Children in Foster Care. Who Are the Foster Children for Adoption? Adopting a Toddler from Foster Care. Adopting an Infant from Foster Care.

Adopting a Sibling Group from Foster Care. Adopting a Family Member from Foster Care. Foster Care vs. Private Adoption vs.

International Adoption: Which is Right for You? Should I Foster or Adopt? Your Complete Guide to Foster Care vs. Foster Care Adoption Costs. Parental Leave for Foster Care Adoption. Foster Adoption Resources. Foster Adoption Support Groups. Foster Care Adoption News. Parenting After Foster Care Adoption. Transition from Foster Care to Adoption. RAD and Attachment. Adoption Disruption. Maintaining Sibling Relationships. Effects of Adoption from Foster Care. Foster Care Adoption Professionals.

A Guide to Foster Adoption Agencies. Foster Care Adoption Attorneys. Foster Care Adoption Social Workers. Is International Adoption Right for You? International vs. Domestic Adoption. International Adoption Information. International Adoption Process. Hague Adoption Convention. International Adoption Visas. Adoption Dossier Checklist.

Adoption Organizations. International Re-Adoption. Countries for International Adoption. Democratic Republic of the Congo. South Korea. American Samoa. New Hampshire. New Jersey. New Mexico. New York. North Carolina. These laws are evolving and changing. In many states, it is becoming easier for adoptees to obtain their original birth certificates. From there, search under Accessing Adoption Records.

This website also contains an adoption search and reunion section that contains more information on searching for birth relatives. You may also visit the International Soundex Reunion Registry website which offers a free mutual consent registry for those seeking to find birth relatives. With the popularity of the internet, registries can be found in a plethora of places.

While you may not want to spread your personal information all over the internet, there are a few trustworthy sites worth trying out. The Adoption Registry on Adoption. This is a great place to start. With Adoption. If not, perhaps they will come across your listing. There are simple search options to narrow down results. There are also forums where you can speak with others who are experiencing similar situations. It is always helpful to feel that someone else can identify with you. You are never alone in your searching, there are many others out there who are searching and reuniting as well.

If you already have some information about your birth family such as name, age, and location , finding your birth parents may be as simple as typing their information into a Facebook search. However, given that there are many people with the same name possibly even around the same age or living nearby , this form of searching can lead to a lot of dead ends or even more questions.

If you do happen to find someone who meets the description, can you be sure that it is really a relative? Even if you reach out to them, will they be truthful? The last thing you would want is to get scammed by someone claiming to be a blood relative. If you do happen to find a sure match, ask yourself what might be the best way to reach out to them.

Do you find it impersonal to introduce yourself or ask adoption-related questions via an internet message? Or does it seem easier for you to reach out this way than with a handwritten letter, phone call, or face-to-face visit? Every situation is different, and it is up to you to make the final decision on what works for you personally. You may have seen viral videos or photos of adult adoptees or of birth parents turning to social media in hopes of finding their biological family members.

Often, these videos and photos contain the date and location of birth, and sometimes the adoption agency or attorney used in the adoption. While this may seem like a quick and easy way to get your name and face out there in the general public, proceed with caution. While some people MAY find their birth families in this way, the possibility is also very real that they will be contacted by scam artists or others who are not actually related to them. While you may not find your birth family in this group, you may very well find a supportive friend or a good lead in the right direction.

Search Angels is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping adoptees find their roots. Volunteers for this organization are all touched by adoption in some way, and they utilize their skills in genetic genealogy and traditional search methods. This website has over 10, visitors per month, with up to 85 percent of those being first-time visitors. The search for roots is real and strong. According to their website, in the United States alone, there have been approximately 77, adoptions per year for the past 70 years.

Search Angels helps to put the puzzle pieces together so that adoptees have a better chance of a successful search and accurate search results. There is absolutely no fee for their basic adoptee search. The website runs on donations so that they may offer these services at no cost for their users. There are typically about 50 cases open at any given time, and volunteers work to complete these cases in the order they are received.

If you would prefer that your case receives higher priority or quicker results, you do have the option to upgrade your search and subscription options for a fee. This contains autosomal DNA testing, some non-identifying information, as well as some background information. By now, you have most likely seen advertisements for companies offering genetic testing for various reasons.