How to Find a Child Put Up for Adoption
If you placed a child for adoption or are trying to locate a relative's child, you will need to get copies of the adoption records through the courts, a private adoption agency or a state vital records department. Although most states seal adoption records, with a court order you can get the file opened to access information on the adoptee.
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Instructions
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Contact the agency that facilitated the adoption. If you are the parent or a family member of the child, under some agreements the adoption agency may be able to give you contact information about the child and his new family. You will be asked to show proof your identity and relationship to the child and may be required to give the agency a copy of your photo ID, passport, birth certificate or Social Security Card.
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Search adoption registries. Adoption registries are operated by state social service agencies or private corporations and allow family members and adoptees to list their contact information. The databases include the adoptee's name, place of birth and the birth family's names. These databases are searchable using this identify information and allow you to send email to the adoptee or access her phone number.
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Get a court order to open the case file. In closed adoption states, you may be required to obtain an order to open the sealed adoption file to find out the adoptee's new name and whereabouts. To do so, you will need to file a petition with the court where the adoption was finalized that outlines your reasons for wanting to access the file. After you file your petition, a judge will hear your case and determine whether you will be permitted to see the adoptee's information.
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Use public records to search for the child by name. Marriage, divorce, property and court records are all accessible to the public. If you have the adoptee's new name, contact the circuit court, department of land records or sheriff's office in the place where the child was last known to live and request a public records search. In some instances, you may need to put your request in writing.
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References
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