PAID SEARCHERS AND ADOPTION

As I search for my birth family, I have run across a ton of ads out there saying that they will find your birth family for you at a certain fee. As with any situation, you have to double check the searcher's creditionals. Check with the Better Business Bureau. Check with the various adoptee forums on the validity of their claims such as Adoption Triad, Adoption Latte, and Eyes Wide Open. I am linked to all of those sites. Gary Schaefer's Registry is another to check concerning this issue. I spoke with someone in a chatroom last night that got ripped off by a fake search company. It turned out for the best for that person. They eventually got the results that they wanted but they lost that money for no results.

Most of us can't afford $200 to $300 in a search let alone $1200 to $1500. Most of the legwork you can do yourself. There is several steps that you can take to begin your search. Start with your birth certificate. Speak with family members about the circumstances behind your adoption. Get on as many free registries as you can. Check with your vital statistics department in your state. Some states also have passive registries. There are quite a few states that are open states. That means you can get a copy of your original birth certificate for a small fee. Get registered with the ISRR. I also have a link with that organization. Print the form, fill it out, and send it to them. If there is a match, you will be contacted. Make sure that you file a waiver of consent with the state's vital statistics department. Write or call all agencies involved in your adoption. AdoptionLatte usually sends a list of things that you can request for non-identifying information. If you don't ask for it, you won't get all the information that you are entitled to. There is also a petition form that you can fill out for your state so that you can petition the courts. I will add that link eventually as well. With all the registries, keep your information updated so that you can be contacted.

There are too many people attacking this issue. Don't let the thieves out there attack even further. We all have had enough heartache to last a lifetime. Remember to vote. Remember to contact your legislators so we all can have the right to our heritage and medical history. We have to keep the heat on these people so that we all can be free.