Step Five: New York Adoptees Looking to Find their Birth Families

Technology and the internet have completely changed the way people conduct Adoption Searches. Not only does the internet allow those searching to find each other, but help and tools for searching are often just a click away.

Google help you find more search tips and connect you to adoption search help. It is a vital search tool for digging up names, contact information, and other facts. Goggling your birthdate is key to see if anyone is looking for you and finding listings on Adoption Search registries.

The following is just a sample of resources, but they will get you in the right direction and connect you to the place and people that will provide more help and assistance. 

Using Adoption Search Angels

Adoption search angels are people who volunteer to help others with adoption searches for free.  Since they work on more than just one personal search, they tend to be really great researches with access to paid databases and people finding tools. Once you have non identifying information from New York, don’t hesitate in asking for help. A professional adoption search angel can be a miracle worker. The video below explains how the Search Angels and Search Squad works.

What an Adoption Search Angel Needs to Help You

Get get the non ID from New York State before contacting a Search Angel.   Nine times out of ten, that’s the first thing any Search Angle is going to tell you to do.

These three (3) solid pieces of information are what is required for people to be found most of the time.

  • Full NAME(if known)
  • AGE/birth date (if unknown, guess about how old)
  • LOCATIONS/city/state where they were last known to be.

The more you tell your Search Angel, the easier it will be for them to help you with your adoption search.

Find a Search Angel to Help You Search

Ask for Help from a Groups of Adoption Search Angels

  • Research and Reunion Team  Facebook Group: Research & Reunion Team helps search for Adoptees/Birth Parents/Birth Family, Lost Friends and Classmates. We also specialize in Facilitating Reunions. Our Team is a group of Experienced Search Volunteers and will not charge for any Services.
  • Search Squad Group on Facebook: a FREE locator group for Adoptees/Birth Parents/Family, lost friends and Genealogy. A review of a Search Squad experience can be found here.
  • Adoption-Free-Search Facebook Community Page: provides search services free of charge to those members of the Adoption Triad that seek out those services. All within the guidelines of our core ethic, while maintaining a presence that will lobby for changing adoption laws throughout the United States leaving no adoptee without a minimum of accurate and complete family medical historical information to the fullest extent possible.
  •  The Volunteer Search Network:  a worldwide group of volunteers who have come together to offer our services to people touched by adoption who need search help.  This help is available only for adoptees, birth parents and their family members who are looking for lost relatives. They do not locate infants to be adopted.
  • Spokeo Search Angels:  volunteers who donate their time and resources to help individuals touched by adoption, foster care and other family separation, search for their family members while providing guidance and emotional support.
  • Emergency Medical Locators for Adoptees (EMLA):  a nonprofit organization that conducts free biological searches for those who are in critical need of their family medical histories in times of life-threatening medical crisis.  If it is a Medical Emergency for an adoption/adoptee to save a life, fill out the form on EMLA’s website.  http://adoption-free-search.org/registration.htm

Social Media Adoption Searches

Facebook, MySpace, blogs and even Twitter can be amazing tools for adoption searches. By opening up your search on social media you open yourself up to the many eyes and minds and Googling fingers. To get the best results form an online search, please check out  How to Use Social Media for An Adoption Search

Also, consider creating an “Adoption Search Party” on Facebook: Looking for your birth parents? Create a Facebook Search Party!

The Coalition is not a government agency, does not provide direct search services, and is unable to assist you with accessing information in closed adoption records.  We ARE NOT SEARCHERS, however, we can point you in the right direction. Please see the Guide to Finding Your Birth Parents if Born and Adopted in New York State

REQUEST YOUR ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE!

AS OF JANUARY 15th, 2020: On June 20th 2019, the New York State Assembly overwhelmingly approved the bill that ends 83 years of secrecy over the original birth certificates (OBC) of adult adopted persons. The vote was 140-6 in the Assembly, with the Senate passing the measure 56-6 earlier in the month. On November 14, 2019, it was signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo into law and restores the right for adults over the age of 18 to request and receive their own pre-adoption birth records. As part of the larger New York Adoptee Rights Coalition, the Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York is please to state that after over 40 years of failed legislative efforts, we have FINALLY CHANGED THE LAW!!!  On January 15, 2020 , both New York City and New York State will release the necessary forms and begin processing applications. Click here to find out how to apply!
HOW TO REQUEST AN OBC