The journey of searching for your birth family is a difficult and emotional one and often takes a lot of courage to embark on in the first place. Every search by an adoptee is unique to them, some may find the answers that they are looking for with relative ease. For others, they may hit the proverbial ‘brick wall’ at some point and feel that the hope that they started with is lost.

If you are in that situation, what should you do to break through the ‘brick wall’ to be able to continue your search?

Documents and Registries

With the aid of the internet, social media and many genealogy websites, it is now easier than ever to search for lost family and friends. However, it is not always the case and many adoptees, particularly those who are restricted by a closed adoption, may only have the bare minimum, if any, information to work with.

If you don’t have any information or documentation, you can check with your State to see if you can apply for your Adoption Records and non-identifying information. Your State may even have an Adoption Reunion Registry that you can sign up to.

Seek the Help of a Specialist

For some adoptees, documentation may not be available, making the ‘brick wall’ seem even more impenetrable. This is where hiring an expert would be a great next move. The Adoption Specialist is led by Lisa Townsend, an experienced Private Investigator who specializes in adoption searches throughout the United States of America, Canada and Germany. Lisa has been reuniting and bringing joy and relief to families who were separated by adoption or relinquishment since 1998.

At The Adoption Specialist, we complete searches efficiently, undertaking all of the research needed to reunite you with your family members as soon as possible.  The search process will require a good amount of perseverance, dedication and fortitude and we will find your relatives through these values and our combined expertise in the field.

Upon concluding the search we will provide you with the most current name, address and any other significant information about the person that you are looking for. Every search receives the same quality of service whether the task is easy or not, you can be sure that we will complete the search and help you reconnect with your family.

Take a DNA Test, and Then Another One!

One of the crucial elements to any search for your biological family is a DNA Test. With the explosion of private companies offering these in recent years, it really does open up your search field. When you take a DNA Test your results are added to a database which can then ‘match’ you with others who have also taken tests. The Ancestry DNA Database for instance, contains 20 million people – that’s a big field of possibilities! 

As strange as it sounds, we would also recommend that you take a second DNA Test using a different company, for instance 23andMe who will add your results to their DNA Database providing you with another field of possibilities!

A DNA Test does not guarantee a quick definitive match to your parents. It may be the case that your birth parents have not taken a DNA Test yet. Please don’t worry, someone in their biological family may have, and even distant relatives can match with your DNA. Looking at these distant relatives may then potentially lead us to your birth parents, siblings, grandparents or cousins. For more information about DNA Testing, you can read our Blog here.

Let’s Break Down That Brick Wall

Continue your search with the knowledge, support and guidance of The Adoption Specialist. Get in touch today to arrange your free consultation on (562) 438-6589 or submit a Search Request Form.For further information, guides and top tips, visit our Blog section here.