Around 2% of the American population is adoptees. Including all stakeholders involved, from birth parents to adoptive parents and siblings, this figure works out to 1 in 8 Americans being directly touched by adoption. And a large majority of these birth parents and adoptees have actively engaged in an adoption search to be reunited with their biological parents and children.

There are many reasons why adopted children and birth parents decide to do an adoption search such as medical knowledge, to learn more about cultural heritage, to learn more about oneself and the most common reason being general curiosity. Whatever the reason maybe for starting an adoption search, it is important to keep in mind that it is a difficult and emotional journey one that will be filled with exhilarating highs as well as wearisome lows.

Once one has undertaken an adoption search, there are certain steps to follow. The first step in an adoption search is finding the names of the birth parents who gave you up for adoption or the child you relinquished. Like a lineage search, an adoption search should also begin with you. Make a list of all the things you remember from the adoption from the name of the hospital to the name of the adoption agency. Next talking to your adoptive parents may yield significant information. The next step in the adoption search is to gather all the relevant documents from a birth certificate to the petition of adoption to the final decree of adoption. With the relevant documents one can contact the State or Agency that handled your adoption for non identifying information. This information is released only to the birth parents, adoptee or adoptive parents and may contain important clues to help one’s adoption search. Depending on the details recorded at the time of adoption information, such as the religion, education history, professional qualification, which is considered appropriate, will be released. A key step in the adoption search is registering with the State and National Reunion Registries or the Mutual Consent Registries. These may be maintained by private or government employed individuals and work by matching each member of the adoption triad that has registered with someone who might be searching for them. Joining and adoption support group and/or mailing list provide not only emotional support but information with regard to laws and new search methods. Also adoption search angels too may assist one with the adoption search. Lastly if one has the financial means to do so one can petition the services of a Confidential Intermediary. Most states and provinces have set up an intermediary system that allows adoptees and birth parents to contact each other albeit with mutual consent.

Parents usually consent to give a child up for adoption due to unavoidable circumstances beyond their control. However there may come a day when birth parents or adoptees begin an adoption search to reunite with their loved ones.