Approximately two-thirds of children in foster care in the United States have a sibling in foster care. For a variety of reasons, many of these siblings are not placed together or eventually are separated. Here are some steps to find a biological sibling.
According to the University of Oregon’s Adoption History Project, approximately 5 million Americans alive today were adopted. A large percentage of those adult adoptees do not have an original birth certificate or knowledge of their family medical history or birth families. Closed adoption prevented them from having access to this information.
As individuals who were adopted or spent time in foster care away from biological siblings age, the desire to find biological siblings may increase. Here are some ways to begin the process of finding them.
1. Hire a private investigator.
Private investigators who are experts in adoption and reunification can get you the answers you need in an affordable and timely manner. Sometimes starting with a professional search is the easiest and most time- and cost-effective route in locating family members or records. (As the only nationwide network of licensed, highly vetted private investigators, my company Trustify works every day to match individuals seeking access to information regarding their adoption with a specialized investigator.)
2. Utilize search registries.
A good place to start is with the agency that facilitated the adoption. Many agencies offer services that include a registry you can utilize or they work with a third-party intermediary to facilitate the search and reunion. There are also a plethora of free registries online that are not agency-specific. Adoption.com has one of the best Reunion Registries.
3. Access state adoption records.
Nearly every state keeps adoption records sealed after an adoption is finalized. Most states at this point have implemented procedures in which both adoptees and birth parents can obtain non-identifying (medical records, and health information) and identifying information (this may lead to the identification of the parties involved in the adoption). According to Child Welfare Information Gateway’s report Access to Adoption Records, fifteen states give siblings access to non-identifying information; thirty states have mutual consent registries allowing each party to the adoption the ability to consent to the release of identifying information; thirty-seven states allow biological siblings to seek and release identifying information through mutual consent.
4. Reach out on social media.
As a technology start-up founder, I see new social media platforms coming onto the market every day. We are now more connected than ever before in human history. This ability to connect with people all over the world in real-time searches for a biological sibling easier than ever. Educate yourself on how to use the many sites available and take advantage of the creative ways individuals are finding family members.
The search and reunion process can be fraught with emotions, frustrations, and dead ends. It can also lead you to find answers and siblings with whom you have lost communication, have never met, or never even knew existed. As with any journey, it takes the first step to reach your final destination.
Looking for a little more help with your search for a biological sibling? Adoption Detectives can help! Click here for more info.
For additional help in your search to find a birth family, visit the new adoption search and reunion website for adoption training.
