How to Locate a Birth Child

Reuniting with a birth child can be an arduous process, but can be rewarding to the person searching and the person found.

If you gave up a child at birth, you might feel the need later in life to find that child when she is an adult. Locating your birth child might prove to be difficult and could take a long time, based on state and federal laws and other obstacles that sometimes must be overcome. But if you persevere, you should be able to find the child.

Things You'll Need

• Internet access
• Funds to hire professionals

Instructions

1. Research the laws in your state to determine the identifying obstacles you might have. Some states have laws forbidding the opening of sealed adoption records. If your state has a sealed records law, you will have to take your information to court and request that the records be opened.

2. Get family members and friends involved who might have insight into your situation. Interview anyone who might have relevant information---even a small piece---including parents, priests, the family attorney and hospital personnel. Keep a journal of all information you have, and information you find in your research or obtain from anyone you interview.

3. Join a support group while you are conducting your investigation to help with law changes and other up-to-date information. These groups usually have records catalogs to assist with group member searches, or have access to professionals in your area that can be hired to help with your search.

4. Hire an adoption search consultant or a search assistant, professionals who can aid in record searches. Adoption records searchers are professionally trained to know where records are located and how to access them.

5. Join an adoption reunion registry online at Reunion.adoption.com. If both parties are registered and agree to a meeting, your search is over.

6. If you have a name before you begin your investigation, order a people finder search at Howtoinvestigate.com.

Tips & Warnings

• A parent can place the information she knows about the adoption with agencies where the birth child can make the decision to connect with the parent if he so chooses. This is called a passive search. The parent can alternately choose an active search in which she pursues information about the child and has the option of contacting the child directly if successful.

• It is more difficult for a biological father to locate a birth child unless his name was listed on the original birth certificate.

• Always ask upfront for consultation and research fees to avoid a higher bill than you expected. Some records searches can be lengthy or involve much work, and can result in substantial fees.

References

• Find Your Birth Family
• Looking for Birth Parent or Adopted Child

Resources

• Adoption Reunion Registry
• Adoption Search and Reunion
• Expert People Finder Search