Adoption Research

Adoption Research

Adoption Research is research that is done to determine information on a child given up for adoption.

Adoptions vary as to the amount of information available based on the type of adoption. Generally adoptions are open or closed. Open adoptions generally provide information on birth parents and may have involved meetings with adoptive and birth parents prior and even after the adoption.

Variations may exist that are semi-open where adoptive parents meet birth parents but real names are not disclosed. Sometimes health and other information concerning the child or his families medical history are given. This varies by state and laws and agencies.

Closed adoptions generally provide no meetings of birth parents or information on them.

As the circumstances surrounding adoptions vary so the information known by relatives can vary. Talking to all living relatives that may have known anything about the adoption is necessary.

Adoptions can occur within the same state or multiple states. Each case differs.

Adoption registries and databases do exist which can help in research.  City directories, newspapers, vital records, posted genealogies, school directories, and more can all aid in the research process.

Depending on how many years it has been since the adoption, states may allow filing court applications that provide additional adoption information through a confidential intermediary. In most states you must be 18 years of age or older to request information. See your individual state for details.

There are generally set fees to be paid to the courts as well as the confidential intermediary to access the court records.

Adoption research is very time consuming especially all interactions with courts.  Delays for correspondence are common and can be 3-6 months for requests.  All applications should be checked thoroughly as courts can delay things even longer if not filled out completely or correctly.

Social networking and media can also assist as sometimes details are given that can aid the research process.

As with all research their are no guarantees of success. Since adoptions details and regulations vary so much no guarantees can or should be made by ethical researchers or research companies.

Adoption Research Example 1 –

1. Soldier and birth mother have child out of wedlock. Birth Mother puts the child up for adoption while soldier is gone. Soldier later marries and tells only daughter he had another child. This is some 50 years after the adoption. Daughter is an only child and wants to find her step sister that was adopted. We ended up locating the birth mother, the adoptive child, adoptive parents, and rejoining through a confidential intermediary the only daughter and the step-mother and her adopted child. All three now have a relationship as well as their families that they chose to have and are enjoying.

Adoption Research Example 2 –

2. Adoptive Child desires to meet birth mother and father.  Adoptive family hires us to research birth mother and father if possible.

Open adoption. Adoptive parents met birth mother before adoption once and corresponded with her through agency for many years.  Then birth mother stopped corresponding. Alias names were given both birth parents and adoptive parents.  Agency provided letters with mostly unidentifying information.  Agency by mistake provided court document that listed birth mother Surname.  Research company researched children born at that time with mother Surname.  Eventually located birth mother then given enough information by birth mother to research and locate birth father.  Successfully connected adopted child to birth mother and birth father with approval of adoptive parents.

Adoption Research Example 3 –

3. Closed adoption. Adoptive child wished to connect with birth mother and birth father.  Worked through confidential intermediary to locate birth father.  Correspondence made.  Through correspondence enough was shared to research and document birth father and birth mother.  Court document also listed birth mother surname as surname of child.  Birth mother and birth father genealogy research by us and provided to adoptee and shared with birth mother and birth father.

Adoption Research Example 4 –

4. In this case the child was known, the adoptive parents were somewhat known and the birth parents were partially known about.  It was hoped that further information on the mother of the child could be learned.  The child’s mother died when the child was 2 years old. The father had a nervous breakdown and was committed to the insane/mental hospital. The child was put up by the state for adoption.  The mothers first name and last name were listed on her marriage but nothing about her parents or siblings. Only partial birth date and suggested birth country were listed.  This birth mother was the great grandmother of the client.  The state where the adoption took place will not allow a judge or appointed confidential intermediary to disclose any information as the client is not a sibling or parent to the child. The mother has been dead since 1903 but still the judge, intermediary, and courts and laws in that state will not provide anything.  Judge chooses not to change the law and legislature doesn’t know about it or won’t change it.  The amount of work and money to change the law makes it a dead matter for now. I should point out that the positives were all the new information we learned about the family, siblings, adoptive family, heirs, etc.  Just not what we wanted on the child’s mothers ancestry.

Call 801-947-1897 to get started today with your adoption research.

 

Adoption Research.