Adoption, Search, Reunion

for anyone searching for birth and adopted relatives

The Adoption Search Reunion website was developed by the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF).

It 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.

Information available

Where to find adoption records

Information and advice on when and how to start looking for information.

  • best time to start your search
  • how to get a copy of your birth and adoption records
  • the Adoption Records database to find out where your adoption records are held
  • advice for descendents of deceased adopted persons

Searching for birth relatives

Information and advice on searching for your birth relatives or an adopted adult.

  • searching for and making contact with relatives
  • role that intermediary services can play
  • what to expect from reunions

Support and help

Further help and information to support your search.

  • finding an agency to help you search for adoption records, provide counselling and advice on tracing and making contact with birth or adoptive relatives
  • counselling services before information is shared from the records
  • recommended reading list
  • list of useful websites

Until January 2013 NORCAP operated a non-statutory contact register, which held over 58,000 entries relating to adopted people and members of their birth families. However, NORCAP has now closed and their register is no longer active but is being held by BAAF until decisions about its future management can be made.

Contact information

For the Adoption Search Reunion website

www.adoptionsearchreunion.org.uk

For the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) website

www.baaf.org.uk