To find an adopted child that was placed domestically as an infant can begin in a variety of ways through a variety of outlets. The first place a birth relative should go, if the option is available in the state of adoption, is to register with the state registry. These registries operate by way of mutual consent, meaning that if an adoptee and a birth relative both register independent of one another the sealed adoption record may be opened.
If a state does not have a registry or the registry proves to be an unsuccessful tool in establishing contact with another member of the triad, an adoptee or birth parent may contact the adoption agency or attorney to facilitate the adoption. If neither of those offer search services, then the courts can be petitioned to allow a confidential intermediary access to the adoption records with the intent to facilitate a search and possible communication between the triad members.
Birth parents can also find an adopted child on online search databases, where adoptees and birth parents can create profiles accessible by registrants. More active registries attempt to match profiles for the searcher as opposed to making them manually search for a match.
Birth parents may also wish to place search ads in regional or national publications.
Search services may be free of charge, work under a flat fee or hourly. Registries may also have a registration fee that costs, on average, $20 or $40 or a small monthly due.
