I want to find my birth parents?

Question

I am adopted. I am american. I was adopted in Arkansas at birth. I was born in 1992. I know my parents first names but my parents that I was adopted from don't know their last names. It was a private adoption. My parents actually got to meet my birth parents before I was born but they didn't tell them a lot of information. Also, on my birth certificate they changed it at the hospital and put my adopted parents names on it. How would I find them?

Answer 1

It sounds like you're in good positions with your aparents. If they are willing to help your search, it CAN start NOW.

Here are the searching laws for your state print this out and give it to them and ask them for help. Tell them that its not about not loving them, or that you're looking to replace them, its about finding out where and who you come from so that you can start your life from chapter 1 and not chapter 2.

Obtaining Non-Identifying Information: Non-identifying information is available to adoptive parents or guardians and adopted adults age 18 or older.

Obtaining Identifying Information: Identifying information is provided through an Adoption Registry.

Using the Adoption Registry: The State Department of Human Services maintains an adoption registry for DHS placements. Licensed voluntary agencies also may establish and maintain registries. The DHS registry is a mutual consent registry in which both parties must be registered before identifying information can be released. Adopted adults age 21 or older, birth parents, and individuals related within the second degree may register. Before release of information, parties requesting information are required to have 1 hour of counseling.

Contact:

Arkansas Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry

PO Box 1437, Slot 808

Little Rock, AR 77203-1437

[phone]

Obtaining an Original Birth Certificate: An adoptee must petition the court in which the adoption was finalized to receive. ( And the adoptee had better hope that there is a judge who understands adoptee rights, or else the petition will be denied! )

Here are some groups that can hopefully help you since they are more specific to adoptees searching in Arkansas...

Arkansas searching groups:

ARandLA - For adoption triad members in and/or linked to Arkansas and Louisiana. Discussion of reunion experiences, search questions, legal issues, and on-topic announcements are always welcome.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ARandLA/

AFAR - AFAR - is an adoption search and reunion support group. There could be good searching tips for your state in their message history of the message boards because the group appears to be inactive. No paid searchers. Visit their homepage here.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFAR-Membe...

Misc. useful links:

ISRR~ A REGISTRY MUST! http://www.isrr.net

Arkansas Online

Yell County, Arkansas Genealogy Project

http://bethg.shutdown.com/yell/

Answer 2

find out the adoption agency that set this up and ask them who gave up their babies in the month and year you were born . good luck

Answer 3

You can find the agency or maybe attorney who was involved in your adoption. Perhaps even the hospital you were born at. But be warned most places will not give you any type of information in till your at least 18. Seeing that you are only 16, or will be 16 this year. You might have to wait till 2010.

Answer 4

I am adopted and I actually found my parents.  I went through the court in the county I was adopted.  You can ask for the adoption department, ask them if they provide NON-IDENTIFYING information.  This is info your birth parents may have left for you, like health, hobbies, other info. etc. It cost my $60 to get this.  Then, ask them if they allow you to contact birth parents through a confidential intermediary.  This is a liaison between you and your birth family.  They do all of the leg work, the locate any relatives, they then contact them, and if they want to be contacted by you, they will give you the contact information.  If they don't want to be contacted, you can usually ask the liaison to ask them questions and you can get info that way.  This part cost $300.  BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR.   You never know how your birth family will turn out.  They do check and make sure they are not convicted felons or in prison.  But, you may be stepping into a mess of a family, or it could turn our pretty good like mine did.  Be prepared for anything.  My mother was already dead, and turns out, a complete psycho, my father is not the upstanding citizen that my parents are (the ones who adopted me.) But, I did gain 2 half brothers who are awesome and some aunts and uncles who are really cool.  Think it through carefully before you do this.  You could end up feeling worse.   Best of luck.

Answer 5

Talk to the lawyer who was involved in the adoption if possible and you may have to get your own. Go to the town and hospital where you were born and start there

Answer 6

Sorry, in AR you must be 18 years old to legally search.  AR facilities adoption reunions through a registry.  It is also possible fur not sure how likely to petition the court to receive your original BC.

see this site for more information.

http://laws.adoption.com/statutes/arkans...

Unfortunately since you are underage, no online registry will allow your or you birth family to post information for searching until you are 18.  Your parents if they are willing may be able to do this for you.

Good luck

Answer 7

Was there an attorney or an agency involved in the adoption? If so, I would suggest talking with them as they should have the birth mother's name on file.