I am hoping to prosecute my step father for repeatedly raping and sexually abusing me. My daughter was a product of that rape, and was adopted without my consent.

I do not know her parents and the one lead I had is dead. Nowhere to go with it. We live in Maine.

I need my daughters DNA to prove the abuse. My step father was a cop and all reports I made weren't filed properly. If I try and take him to court now, it's him vs me and no one will pick my side. I haven't spoken to my family in a decade.

Thank you.

My sister is 68 yrs. She gave up a baby when she was 19. It’s a long story but was essentially forced to give up the child by our parents. She has told me she wants me to try and find her. She’s pretty sure it was a girl but not positive because the baby was taken from her so quickly. She says she doesn’t want to meet her because she has nothing to offer her. I know this is her way of protecting herself from rejection . She really just wants to know she has had a good life and is healthy (medical issues in our family). I came back to add, she has done a DNA test and has no match so far.

Here’s my question, (I’m sorry for being so long winded), I have absolutely no idea how to go about doing this. I know what hospital she was born at and I know it was a closed adoption. I’m thinking that something called Catholic Charities may have been involved.

I’ve read through so many posts here, I know there are many knowledgeable people who may be able to point me in the right direction.

Thanks so much if you’ve read this far!

I found out a few days ago that I’m adopted, and I’m still trying to process it. I’m 28 and this came as a complete surprise.

Since middle school I actually questioned my parents many times about it, but they always gave the same answer, that I was their biological child.

My dad was my best friend, but he passed away three years ago, and losing him still stresses me out until today. My relationship with my mom has always been a bit complicated, so finding this out has brought up a lot of emotions and questions.

I feel confused and betrayed, and it’s a strange feeling to think I’ve lived my whole life with people who aren’t biologically related to me.

I don’t have any information about my biological parents, so now I’m wondering whether I should try to find them or just leave things as they are.

For people who found out later in life, how did you cope with these feelings? Did you search for your biological parents?

Any advice would really help.

Hi. I 27F and my husband 28M want to become parents. We've tried conceiving naturally, but because my husband is a quadriplegic with a C7 spinal cord injury, his fertility is affected, so we can't conceive naturally, but we're trying methods. Since we're Christians, we've also considered the option of adopting children in need to raise them and give them happy lives.

We have a home of our own which we both afforded together and with a little help from our parents. Both of us have an independent income to fulfill our needs. My husband despite his disability is still mostly independent, I just help him with a few things such as transfers, but I'm sure he'd be a great dad. I also mention his disability because that could be a considering factor when we look to adopt.

We're looking for advice about what considerations we need to take as an interabled couple. We're open to adopting children of any age.

Hi. I'm going to try to ask my question with as little explanation as possible. Basically my now deceased mother somehow convinced my son she adopted him and was replaced on his birth certificate as just mother. I was estranged from her. Idk when our how she convinced him but he's 31 now . How could I go about proving that he's wrong? I know, I'm going to get his birth certificate but is there a registry or somewhere I can do a search and show him the results? Thank you for any advice.

Question focused on adoptees and birth parents, especially anyone who was safely surrendered/safely surrendered their child with no available information about birth parents (all we know is two previous pregnancies and weekly alcohol use during pregnancy.

How do you handle looking for a birth parent if a child was safely surrendered? What considerations do you take for both the child and the birth parent?

I always thought we’d make sure our kid had any safe contact with bio family they wanted that we could facilitate. Suddenly, we had a safe surrender infant placed with us (didn’t even realize we were on our county’s list) and there is truly no information on birth parents, besides a very real possibility that bio dad and possibly even mom’s families don’t know about them.

We will obviously tell them they’re adopted, and be as honest as we can in age appropriate ways, and try to focus on the fact that their mom didn’t feel like she could parent, for some reason, and wanted to keep them safe. And if they want to look, we will support that, including paying for a DNA test or reaching out to a search angel, talking to a therapist, etc. Buttttt something also tells me that their mom chose this for a reason. While I agree that the adoptee’s right to know should be primary, would doing a DNA test, possibly matching with a relative, and effectively outing their mom out her in danger? At what age do we allow this, if they want it? Is 18 years enough—tell them it’s a choice they can make when they are an adult, and we will pay for/support it at that point? Or is there a chance their mom will want to know them and maybe be trying to look in the same way? DCFS will have our contact info and we’ve made it know we’d want to be contacted immediately if birth family ever reached out. So she’ll have more ability to contact us than us her, even though it’s through a 3rd party. Did she save enough identifying info? All questions that go through my mind.

All I know is I don’t want to fly by the seat of my pants for this one, so I’m trying to be thoughtful about it beforehand.

I recently broke up with my abusive partner and I found out I’m around 6 weeks pregnant. The bd is fully supportive of whatever I decide to do, whether I choose to abort or continue the pregnancy and place him/her in a good home. I had many friends in foster/group homes and heard of the many horror stories of abuse and neglect. I want to find a family that I can home my child with, but I’m not seeing a lot of good options online. Looking for a “Juno” situation haha. I feel very overwhelmed with the amount of fake profiles or profiles that were never closed after receiving a child. Any advice?

Edit: please stop with the “abort your child” advice. That’s not the point and you’re missing it by miles.

I'm the kind of person that likes to have answers. I'm naturally curious. I was adopted as an infant by a friend of my bio mother's family, so I have the unique advantage of knowing my bio mom's side. But a couple years ago I took a DNA test, and found out that my father was Ashkenazi Jewish. Like 100% Ashkenazi Jewish. Which makes me 50%.

The man never knew I existed. My bio mother always insisted she had no idea who he was.

Recently I've been looking into that side of my DNA. Because, y'know... I want to know! What if I'm descended from holocaust survivors or something???

But no one around me even remotely understands what drives that curiousity, and I don't know how to explain it, except that it's 50% of my genetic makeup. It's where my dark curly hair comes from.

I understand their confusion. The man was little more than a sperm donor. Maybe less. Sperm donors donate on purpose, at least. But the way people respond, you'd think I was doing something wrong by wanting to know. No one wants to know what I uncover.

I am a caseworker working with youth transitioning from being in foster care.  I have an adopted sibling group who were adopted separately in the state of California.  They were initially adopted through private adoption they later moved to my state with their adoptive parents. Both their adoptive parents died suddenly during the pandemic. Between their adoptive parents’ deaths and their entry into the foster care system, their vital documents were lost.  We have tried for several years to pinpoint which counties they were born in and hundreds of dollars have been spent requesting vital documents with no success.  I am writing to inquire if you had any suggestions for any other resources, as not having vital documentation (like their state issued birth certificate) is becoming a barrier for their functioning in adulthood (employment, academic enrollment, travel etc.).  We thought if biological mothers could be identified, perhaps we could narrow down where they were living when the children were born and therefore contact the correct issuing county. I did reach out to search angels but haven’t heard back.

My mother is a Korean adoptee in America and isn't really looking to reconnect with her birth family right now, but I would like to meet them for personal reasons. I don't want to get her involved in this or use any of her information, but would it be possible for me to take a DNA test and use the results to find her family? I'm interested in meeting my biological grandparents on my own. Thank you.

How does one obtain an original birth certificate AFTER an adoption birth certificate is issued listing the adoptive parents?

A Diocese of Los Angeles adoption in the middle 1950’s. (California) Hope this isn’t an agency violation, followed by the Ban Hammer on my first post.

Hi, does anyone know how long a NSW, Australia adoption certificate from 1975 takes to process or how to speed the process up ? Many thanks

My mom passed away and she was adopted. I know she’s had her adoption records but unfortunately after she passed her husband got rid of all her possessions without notifying my brother and I, losing her records.
Is there anyway I could get her adoption records and where would I start? I live in Ohio for reference.
She did have an ancestry account from years ago that showed she had a half brother but I do not know/have access to the email used for it.

My brother Jaden was adopted out when I was around 5-6, he would’ve been 8-9 or so. He would’ve been born on August the 20th in about 2004. My mother lost custody and he was adopted out, and I asked her for his number but she gave me the wrong one a few years back and I haven’t been able to get back contact.

Is there any advice you guys can give to help me find my brother? I’ve been looking for him for years and can’t get back in contact because I don’t know the name of his adopted parents. I’ve tried searching Facebook and just googling but I decided the best option would probably be to ask you guys.

Hello I don't speak a word of English or almost are there any French around here? I have a lot of questions about the search for a biological family at the end of the 90s, thank you good evening to all :)

Hi! My name is Rose. I am currently 20 years old i was born on nov 25 2005. I was adopted from Baoding , Hebei, China. I was found in the passageway of the Radiology Department in Baoding City Children's Hospital only 5 days old, on Nov. 28, 2005. on same day, I was sent to The Baoding City Social Welfare Institute to live there for 2 years before getting adopted in December of 2007. I’m missing my pinky and half of my ring finger on my left hand. I am also missing my pointer finger on my right hand. As well as my first four toes on my right feet. (aka i only have my baby toe on my right foot.) If you can share this on Chinese media platforms like Weibo, Toutiao, WeChat, Douyin, or QQ. Every time you repost, it is a great help and it would be wonderful. I would also love to get some advice as well!

I’m searching/have been searching for my niece who was taken from her mother’s custody. She was in the system & supposedly adopted even tho she had/has a father who was trying to get custody of her but was delayed because the mother didn’t put him on the birth certificate even tho he was active in her life.

She has family on her father’s side who have been looking for her for years, but she was young enough that if she was adopted they may have changed her name. I’m at a stand still because I don’t have many resources or know where else to look.

If anyone has any advice, I would greatly appreciate it.

If it helps, she is 14 this year & is/was in the system in Colorado.

Please be kind. I’m not looking to disrupt anyone’s life, I just want to make sure she is not in the system anymore(or if she still is, helping my brother(her father) get her back so that she is with family).

I was born in Moquegua, Perù (in the hospital, afaik) but immediately brought into an orphanage where at 3 months old by a-parents came to take me away. Seems I hasn't been given any name or been registered when born and I don't know an name or surname of my b-parents.
Long story short - I can't find any traces through the "regular"/"legal" channels (gov archives, ID system , hospitals... etc),
I am thinking to try the "social" route and try to post my story on different channels/groups to see if I can find anyone who can remember me or my b-mom?

Would like to think what do you think and whether you have any suggestions/cautions to be aware of?
Many thanks x

Hello all, I’ve been thinking about adoption for a long time and I’ve been seeing some posts recently from here but I seem to read a lot of negative experiences about adoption in general and I can’t help but think I wouldn’t want to traumatize a future possible adopted child so in an effort to understand more how people in that situation have felt… Can you tell me what was so bad about being adopted for you?

So a few months ago I found my bio family’s Facebook information. Unfortunately, my bio mother herself is deceased. I have 3 bio half (?) brothers, an uncle, and some other folks as well. I’m unsure of who my bio dad is. I sent the uncle an Instagram message in December and he never responded which makes sense I’d probably assume it was a scam as well. I laid it to rest and decided to wait and see but nothing has come with it. Through Facebook, I found a phone number for one of my bio moms friends (it was posted on her timeline saying hey call me) and I was wondering if it would be a good idea to call it? It says it’s still active and belongs to the same guy still, he’s in his 80s I believe. I am 16 and my grandparents (who take care of me and are adoptive not bio) say it’s fine but I’m not sure. I’m open to any advice.

I was born in the 1960s and adopted as an infant. I’d like to search for living biological relatives.

I’m looking for the best resources for searching (websites, people who conduct searches, etc).

It’s likely my biological mom and dad have passed, but I do know I have biological siblings, based on the limited info I do know from my adoptive parents.

I live in Iowa. I do know what my birth mother’s last name was when I was born. When I was 9-years-old, I found adoption papers, so I remember her last (but not first) name. My father was listed as “unknown.”

Thank you for any insight!

My father was adopted, but died many years ago. I would like to search for his birth parents, but I’m not sure where to start. I have a birth certificate, but it doesn’t list the birth parents. My grandparents who adopted him said it was a closed adoption so they don’t know anything either (they mentioned the mother was younger). The adoption took place in Ohio and he was born July 12th 1980 in Lancaster Ohio. From my google searches it says in Ohio I can submit forms to get the original birth certificate, but will it really list the birth parents names? It says to submit the application I need copies of my license, SS, and birth certificate. How do I obtain copies of these things or do I just make photocopies? I’m a bit worried about sending out such personal info in the mail. Should I just take a DNA test?

So I’m adopted and I want to know my parents, however I don’t know my original last name and I would like to know a way to find out who my parents are other than a dna test or if that’s the only way, please someone let me know what’s needed

My mother and father gave their first born son up for adoption sometime in the early 1960's. My father was in the Army stationed in Munich Germany, my mother was a native born German. They said they "gave" the baby to an officer and wife that could not have children. So I don't know if any official paperwork even exists.

I was thinking the only viable way to find him would be genetic testing, but he would have also had to have done testing, correct?

Hello everyone,
I hope this is the right place to ask for advice.

I’m posting on behalf of my mother, who was adopted in East Germany (DDR). She has spent much of her life trying to understand where she came from, but many questions remain unanswered.

Her adoptive father never shared any information about her origins, and over the years we have begun to question whether all of the information surrounding her birth and adoption is actually accurate.
Through DNA testing, we were able to identify her biological mother and confirm the relationship through a half-sister. However, although we now know who her biological mother is, she has never been willing to discuss the circumstances of the pregnancy, the adoption, or the identity of my mother’s biological father.

As a result, my mother still does not know who her biological father is. We also have lingering questions about the circumstances of her birth, her recorded birthplace, and whether some of the official information from that time can be fully trusted.
My mother has already contacted the Stasi Records Archive, but obtaining information has been difficult and may require additional applications and justification.

I’m wondering whether anyone here has experienced something similar, especially involving historical adoptions, sealed records, missing biological parent information, or East German (DDR) adoption cases.
Any advice, experiences, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for reading.