Prepared by Elisabeth Lindsay.
Adoption search refers to the search of an adoptee for his or her biological parents. Historically, most adoptions were closed, meaning, records were not made public nor accessible, even to the adopted child as an adult. Children seeking their birth parents often had to resort to legal and/or investigative action.
Today, although adoption records are still closed to the public, children of adoption have more rights and greater access than in the past to their personal adoption records. For those seeking to locate adoptive parents or research their biological heritage, genealogical resources available on the Internet increase that opportunity. Many professional genealogists specialize in adoption research to aid children of adoption. Owing to privacy issues, adoption research is generally approached with great sensitivity and respect.
