How do I find out about tracing birth relatives?
Information for adopted people on searching for their birth family
The Adoption Search and Reunion website is intended to be the first port of call for anyone thinking about searching for or making contact with birth and adopted relatives, or researching an adoption that took place in the UK.
The Adoption Contact Register is a public services register, set up to put adopted people and their birth relatives in touch with each other, if that is what both parties wish. To register your interest in being contacted by a birth relative, you can add your name to the Adoption Contact Register for a small fee. You must be over 18.
Other organisations that offer support and information include:
General Register Office Scotland
Birthlink (Scotland)
General Register Office Northern Ireland
BAAF publishes a wide range of publications that deal with adoption search and reunion including:
- BAAF Advice Note: If you are adopted (for adopted people)
- BAAF Advice Note:Child from the Past (for birth families)
- The Adoption Reunion Handbook by Liz Trinder, Julia Feast and David Howe. Wiley, 2004.
You can also search the BAAF bookshop for more BAAF publications about adoption search and reunion, or look at the BAAF Publications Catalogue.
Last updated: 16 January 13
