1. The Adoption Contact Register: This reunion registry is operated the United Kingdom. If you were adopted, you can add yourself to the register; however, you must be at least 18 years of age and your birth or adoption registered with the General Register Office. If you are adopted and you are trying to find birth relatives, you will need to fill in form CR part 1 on their website. You will need to know your original birth name, your date of birth, and the full name(s) of your birth mother (and birth father if known). You will pay a fee of £15. You can also add yourself to the register if you are a birth relative trying to find an adopted person. You will need to be at least 18 years old and will pay a fee of £30. You will fill out the CR part 2 form. You can only find people who also added themselves. Visit www.gov.uk to get started. 
2. Adoption Search Reunion: This website was created to be the first port of call for those who are wanting to search for adopted relatives or birth relatives in the United Kingdom. On this website, you can search their adoption records database, receive education on legal rights, and register to search for a relative. For more information visit www.adoptionsearchreunion.org.uk

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1. Mumsnet

Covering topics like “choosing a school,” “how to speed up time,” and “sibling adoption,” threads on this website are likely to be responded to with honesty and positivity, giving you a realistic idea of how to navigate the challenges of your adoption journey.

2. Mothering.com/forum/

Subscribed to by mothers all over the world, this website covers topics from healthy eating to attachment to haircuts. You will find mothers asking proactive questions about adoption decisions that are responded to with truthfulness and encouragement.

3. Adoption.com/forums/88/uk-and-Ireland-adoption/

From adoptees looking for their birth mothers to artists making BBC adoption documentaries, this forum is a positive arena for connecting with those in your nation thriving through adoption.

4. Netmums.com/support/all-about-adoption

Beginning by helping you determine your adoption eligibility, this forum helps you to find a community, get a home study, and learn how to be matched with a child. You may be surprised to earn that you are exactly the kind of person who is welcome to adopt, and you can move forward in your journey with grace and confidence. 

5. Forums/afteradoption.org/uk

Adoptees looking for birth parents, writing letters to blood relatives, and looking for a company can be found here.

6. Fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/

Seeking to provide a balanced view of adoptions, this website contains real but positive stories about successful adoptions and flourishing kids.

7. Adopterssupportuk.freeforums.net

Check out the “Good board” for positive adoption narratives on this site, as well as a myriad of resources for working with children who have ADHD, FAS, and sensory issues.

8. First4adoption.org.uk/supportttype/web-forums/

Adoption professionals, inspiring quotes, and a step-by-step breakdown of the adoption process can be found on this forum. Those who thought they could may not be candidates for adoption may be pleasantly surprised at their eligibility.

9. Familytreeforum.com

The miracle and joy of adoption are apparent here, where articles, blogs, and projects are also available. Family tree photos and genealogy searches are common.

10. Adoptionheart.org.uk

Waiting children, prospective adoptive parents, and birth relatives can be found here, along with a support team of clinical psychologists, play therapists, and social workers. The village it takes to change a life is available at your fingertips!

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• improve relationships with friends, family members, teachers and school staff
• improve engagement with learning
• improve emotional regulation and behavior management
• improve confidence and ability to enjoy a positive family life and social relationships

Families are given access to this fund if they meet these criteria:

• A family has children up to and including the age of 21 or 25 and have a SEN Statement or ECH Plan
• The child has been adopted from local authority care in England or have been adopted from Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, but are living in England. 
• An assessment of the families’ adoption support need was made by a local authority. Families have the right to request an assessment; the local authority is required by law to assess. It is the responsibility of the local authority to assess for adoption support needs for three years after the adoption order is complete. After the first three years, it is the responsibility of the local authority where you live if it is different.

After April 1, 2016, the fund became available for children after being placed in England and for special guardians who care for children who were looked after immediately prior to the special guardianship order.

According to familylives.org.uk, “A special guardianship order is an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s ‘special guardian.’ It is a private law order made under the Children Act 1989 and is intended for those children who cannot live with their birth parents and who would benefit from a legally secure placement.”

The social worker should talk to you about who can provide the types of service that you need and will recommend a provider. This could be an NHS provider, the local authority itself, a nearby local authority, or an independent provider. Local authorities are able to submit applications for funding before an adoption order so that any package of support from the time of placement can be continued once the adoption order is made. In 2016 and  2017, the fund was being extended to include packages of work that take place prior to the adoption order being made.

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Now, it is important to know there is a chance you may not locate them. In my youngest son’s case, his biological mother did not know who the biological father was because at the time she was a prostitute, so there is no biological father listed on his birth certificate. It is also important to understand that depending on the reason as to why you were taken into protective custody, that your biological parents may not be living in the same area anymore, or they may have passed away.

Your Search

I took to Google to try and find the best website that can aid you in your search.  The website I found that has the best information is on this website. Here, this website goes step by step on how to register yourself in the UK adoption contact register. The great thing about registering yourself is it gives all possible family members the opportunity to locate you. It also gives you access to their registry to search for family members yourself.

To apply, you must know your birth name, birth date, be at least 18 years of age, and at least the name of your biological mother. This website also can help you access your birth records. There is a fee (£15) to register yourself to connect with your family members. Being able to access you birth records may also assist in finding siblings or extended family if you are unable to get in contact with your birth parents.

Another option if you are unable to connect with you birth parents is doing DNA testing. This can determine your heritage. For a lot of children that were adopted, they just want to be in touch with their culture. This helps to connect with their roots. If this is the case, then you can look into genetic testing. There are plenty of companies out there that you can search, but one of the most popular is 23andMe. For younger children or babies who don’t know how to spit into a test tube, there is Ancestry DNA and/or My Heritage. These companies use a mouth swab to collect the specimen.

I hope that this information helps guide you on your journey in finding your birth parents, finding siblings, finding family members, or figuring out your heritage.

Jade Carterette

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