Taking the first steps on your journey to find your birth family can feel hopeful yet confusing.
You may not know which adoption records are available or what type of adoption you had.
But there is good news—regardless of whether you were in an open or closed adoption, you may still have the right to access valuable information about your birth parents.
We’re here to help you understand the adoption records you can access and how they may guide your search.
The Main Types of Adoption
Adoption can take many forms, depending on the child's situation, age, and the type of relationship with the adopting family. Here are the most common types of adoption:
- Kinship/relative adoption: This occurs when a step-parent, grandparent, or other family member assumes the responsibilities of a parent in the eyes of the law.
- Foster-care (public) adoption: Foster-care adoption entails becoming the parent of a child who is under the state’s guardianship. In some cases, the foster family chooses to make their bond with the child in their care permanent. But if the child is legally adoptable, any eligible, prospective parents can apply.
- Independent (private) adoption: In this type of adoption, a third party, such as an adoption agency, an attorney, or a medical professional, intermediates the adoption process. However, this process is not legal in all states.
- Infant adoption: This adoption involves becoming the legal parent of a newborn baby, often starting right after birth. Many families opt for this as it gives them the most time with their child, allowing them to witness all of their important milestones.
- Adult adoption: Occasionally, an adult is adopted to provide a loved one legal access to your estate or give them the right to make medical decisions for you. This also can be undertaken to officialize a loving parental bond developed with a member of their chosen family.
If you’re searching for your birth parents, your adoption likely falls under the categories of infant, independent, or foster care adoption. However, what often matters most is whether your adoption was open or closed. Below, we explore what open and closed adoptions mean and the types of records you may be able to access in each case.
What Is an Open Adoption?
Open adoption is a type of adoption where the birth parents and adoptive family maintain some form of communication or contact before, during, and after the adoption process.
In recent years, open adoptions have become more common, as they’re often considered beneficial for the adopted child. This arrangement can include exchanging letters, phone calls, or even in-person visits, depending on what both families agree upon.
If you were in an open adoption, you may have easier access to identifying information about your birth family. This could include details such as your birth parents' names, addresses, and medical history.
Since open adoptions tend to be more transparent, it can make your search to find your biological family smoother, providing you with a solid starting point.
Frustrated by the complexities of adoption records? At Adopted.com, we simplify the search for your adoption information. Create a free profile today to join our Adoption Records voluntary database.
Which Records Are You Entitled to Access in an Open Adoption?
Legal procedures vary among states, so it’s best to check local legislation.
However, in most countries, if you’re an adult, you can possibly petition the state where your adoption took place for the following adoption records:
- Birth certificate: A copy of your original birth certificate containing your birth name, date, and location.
- Information about birth parents: If available, identifying information about your birth parents, such as name, date of birth, ethnicity, physical appearance, occupation, age, address at the time of the adoption, and medical history.
- Data regarding your birth, such as time and place of birth, your measurements and APGAR score, and any medical problems or complications noted.
- Information regarding the circumstances of the adoption process and the legal decisions involved, such as the name of the agency or third party intermediary involved, the state where the procedure took place, the social worker handling the case, the adoption petition, and the finalization decision.
- If you were adopted out of the state system, you could receive your permanence report and documents about your adoption plan and the process leading up to its finalization. You may also be able to access relevant information about your education, development, and medical history, as well as any keepsakes, letters, or photographs offered to you by your biological family.
- In some cases, information about your siblings may be available. Sometimes, the details about them have been volunteered by your birth family. However, you may also receive some of their information if you were separated from them and they were placed in foster care as well.
What Is a Closed Adoption?
A closed adoption is one in which all records relating to the adoption are sealed once the adoption is finalized. In this type of adoption, the birth parents and the adoptive family typically have no direct contact, and identifying information is kept private.
Closed adoptions were more common in the past, especially during the mid-20th century, when it was widely believed that secrecy protected all parties involved.
However, just because the records are sealed doesn’t mean that they’re inaccessible forever.
Depending on your local laws and specific circumstances, you may still be able to obtain certain information about your adoption.
What Can You Hope to Find in Closed Adoption Records?
While identifying details are typically sealed in a closed adoption, you may still be able to request certain non-identifying information, such as:
- Adoption Information: General information about the adoption, including the state where it took place, your age, health status at the time of adoption, and other non-identifying details regarding the circumstances of your adoption.
- Non-Identifying Birth Family Information: Details like your birth parents' age at the time of adoption, ethnicity, height, weight, and other physical characteristics. This may also include any available medical history, which can be vital for your own healthcare decisions.
- Petition to Unseal Records: In some cases, you may have the right to petition the court to unseal your adoption records. This request may be granted in cases of medical necessity, such as the need for a compatible organ donor or other life-saving information.
Can Closed Adoption Records Be Opened?
Adoption records are typically sealed, and the general public doesn’t have access to this highly private information. If birth parents haven’t consented to the release of identifiable information, the records won't be unsealed without a court order and a valid reason.
However, there are certain situations in which sealed adoption records may be opened.
Researching the local laws and exceptions to unsealing adoption records can help you determine if you might be eligible.
What Can You Do if You Cannot Access Your Adoption Records?
For some adoptees, accessing birth records may be possible. However, depending on local legislation and resources, many are not so fortunate. As a result, it can be challenging to find your birth parents in a closed adoption, since you might only receive non-identifying information (or none at all if the parents are unknown).
Even if you were in an open adoption, you may still encounter roadblocks in searching for your birth family, as records may have been lost or accidentally destroyed.
If you can only find minimal information about your birth parents, we encourage you not to give up hope.
There’s still a great option available to you: an online adoption reunion registry. Adopted.com is the largest such platform in the world and offers many ways to search for your biological family with minimal information:
- Profile matching: Register for free by answering 10 questions about your adoption situation. If someone from your birth family is also searching for you, our algorithm will match your profile to theirs.
- NameSearch™ feature: Enter any details you have about your birth family (such as a name, place, or organization), and the NameSearch™ tool will quickly match your query against our 1M+ user profiles. The tool can also access information from historical records.
- The DNA search: Upload your DNA data to compare it with other users who have also added this information.
Most importantly, we don’t just provide a service. We offer a welcoming, supportive community on a journey similar to your own. Join the Adopted.com community to share your experiences with others who can understand it first-hand.
Here, you’ll find helpful tips on how to get more information about your birth parents, a shoulder to lean on through difficult times, and uplifting stories that will give you hope when you need it most.
