Adoption Directory
If you have been separated from a relative through adoption and would like to receive an intermediary service, please complete our expression of interest form, which will help Family Action to identify which services you can access through our PAC-UK service and other providers.
On this page we collect a range of resources you may find useful when commencing a search for records, or trying to make a connection with a family member as a birth parent or relative. Please note, the content on this page of the website is the same for both Adopted and Birth Parents personas and will be updated and expanded.
Family Action is not responsible for the content of external websites and the inclusion of a link to an external website from this directory should not be understood to be an endorsement of that website or the site’s owners (or their products/services).
Adoption Contact Registers
General Register Offices/Ordering Certificates
Government Agencies
Organisations offering support and advice
Registered Intermediary Providers
Voluntary Adoption Agencies
Voluntary Adoption Agencies in Scotland
Voluntary Adoption Agencies in Wales
Regional Adoption Agencies
Other Support Available
Family Research
Tracing Services
Directory Services
Community Groups
Podcasts
Blogs/Websites
Videos
Books
Books – Adoption (overview)
Books – Personal Stories
Books – Personal Stories (adopted adults)
Books – Personal stories (adopted children & young people)
Books – Personal Stories (birth mothers)
Books – Research Study
Books – Search and Reunion
Adoption Contact Registers
Adoption Contact Register (England and Wales)
Government register aiming to allow family members to state their wish to connect with a birth relative or adopted person, or state a preference not to be contacted.
Adoption Contact Register for Scotland – Birthlink
Scotland’s Adoption Contact Register is managed by the charity Birthlink
0131 225 6441
Adoption Contact Register for Northern Ireland
This page contains instructions for registering with the Northern Ireland adoption contact register
General Register Offices/Ordering Certificates
General Registrar Office for England and Wales
Government Office holding copies of all registrations for England and Wales, including births, adoptions, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths.
Government Agencies
“Find My Local Council” search pages
Government site allowing you to see which local council and district council corresponds to a given postcode.
NHS Medical Records Website
Website detailing how to request your medical records.
Ofsted
Ofsted regulate intermediary services provided by adoption support agencies, as well as care homes.
enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk
0300 123 1231
Search Probate Records
Government site allowing you to find a probate record, also known as a ‘grant of representation’, for someone who died after 1857. Probate gives someone the legal right to deal with a deceased person’s property, money and possessions (their ‘estate’).
Organisations offering support and advice
The list below includes Voluntary Adoption Agencies, Adoption Support Agencies, Regional Adoption Agencies and other agencies offering support to adopted adults.
If you your adoption was arranged by a Voluntary Adoption Agency, and you know the name of the agency then the list below will give you their contact details so that you may contact them directly.
You can also contact the adoption team in the local authority where you live for information and advice regarding finding a service and support.
Registered Intermediary Providers
If you have been separated from a relative through adoption and would like to receive an intermediary service, please complete our expression of interest form, which will help Family Action to identify which services you can access through our PAC-UK service and other providers.
PAC-UK (Part of Family Action)
PAC-UK, who joined Family Action in 2018, is the country’s largest independent Adoption Support Agency. PAC-UK provide a wide range of specialist services including tracing*, intermediary services, birth records counselling, therapeutic support, support groups and training. PAC-UK were rated as ‘Outstanding’ in all areas following their most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2022.
Email advice@pac-uk.org or familyconnect@pac-uk.org
Advice Line 0300 1800 090 or FamilyConnect Advice Line 0300 1800 205
Office 0300 1800 085
*The NORCAP Adoption Contact Register (NCR) pre-dated the GRO Adoption Contact Register and contains over 62,000 entries, relating to people born before 1995 who were subsequently adopted. When NORCAP closed in 2013 the NCR was saved and is now held by PAC-UK. Adopted adults, birth relatives and professionals can apply to PAC-UK and pay a fee for a register check, contact familyconnect@pac-uk.org in the first instance. .
If you think it was possible that your birth relatives may have registered before 2013 you can also contact PAC-UK and ask us to search the register.
PAC-UK’s specialist counselling service provides support for adults adopted as children, and for adults otherwise permanently placed as children. PAC-UK also offer access to adoption records, searching and intermediary services.
PAC-UK’s specialist birth parent and relative support services include our First Family Service, face-to-face and telephone counselling, private intermediary services (for birth relatives of adults adopted as children) and support groups.
Father Hudson’s Care
Provides intermediary services to adopted people, birth relatives and descendants in connection with any adoption in England & Wales. Additionally provides access to adoption records and care records for those previously involved with the agency as children.
origins@fatherhudsons.org.uk
01675 434000
Joanna North Associates Ltd
Adoption Support for adoptive families including intermediary services, birth records counselling and therapeutic support.
CMB-Counselling
Intermediary services for adopted adults and birth relatives including descendants of adopted adults.
Voluntary Adoption Agencies
Caritas Care
Independent adoption agency covering the whole of the North West including; Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cumbria and parts of Yorkshire, as well as parts of Scotland including the Dumfries area. Also offers tracing and birth records counselling service
info@caritascare.org.uk
01772 732313
Catholic Children’s Society (Westminster)
Specialises in post adoption support and also provides tracing and intermediary services.
CCS Adoption
Independent adoption agency in Bristol, working across the Adoption West region in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, Swindon, Wiltshire and South Wales. Also offers intermediary services
info@ccsadoption.org
0117 935 0005
Action for Children (formerly National Children’s Homes NCH)
Provides Adoption Services in London, The South West and the Midlands
ask.us@actionforchildren.org.uk
0300 123 2112
Adoption Focus
Offers a range of services including training and support groups.
0121 779 0891
Adoption Matters
Large adoption service providing a range of support, including intermediary services.
info@adoptionmatters.org
0300 123 1066
Adoption UK
Charity providing support, community and advocacy
info@adoptionuk.org.uk
01295 752240
Adoptionplus
Adoption agency based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, offering an adoption placement service, specialist adoption therapy services, training and conferences.
enquiries@adoptionplus.co.uk
01908 218251
Arc Adoption North East
info@arcadoptionne.org.uk
0191 516 6466
Barnardos
Dedicated adoption support services helping others who are affected by adoption including birth families and adopted adults.
makingconnections@barnardos.org.uk
020 8552 1004
Birmingham Children’s Trust
0121 303 1888
Coram
Independent adoption agency working across greater London and the surrounding areas, as well as the East Midlands.
Diagrama Foundation
Independent, not-for-profit adoption agency finding families who are able to offer a permanent home for children in need of adoption across south London, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Berkshire, Kent and Hampshire.
adoption@diagrama.org.uk
0800 802 1910
Family Care Adoption Services
Provides adoption advice and support for adopted adults in Northern Ireland
028 9069 1133
Coram IAC
Coram IAC – Intercountry Adoption Centre – are now part of the Coram Group of children’s charities. Coram IAC provide a comprehensive service to people considering both domestic and intercountry adoption. The agency also caters to adopted adults, birth relatives and to professionals working in the intercountry field.
0208 447 4753
Parents and Children Together (PACT)
Adoption charity and family support provider of adoption services, therapeutic support and community projects across London and the south of England.
Slough Children’s Services Trust
Provides support for adopted adults
emailus@scstrust.co.uk
01753 477321
SSAFA
Armed forces charity – provides post adoption support
020 7463 9200
TACT fostering and adoption
Provides support for adopted adults
0330 123 2250
Together for Children
Provides support for adopted adults
adoption@togetherforchildren.org.uk
0191 520 5560
Yorkshire Adoption Agency
Provides support for adopted adults
info@yorkshireadoptionagency-org-uk
01302 638337
Voluntary Adoption Agencies in Scotland
Scottish Support Services Adoption
Provides adoption advice and support for adopted adults in Scotland
info@scottishadoption.org
0131 553 5060
St Andrew’s Children Society
Provides adoption advice and support for adopted adults in Scotland
info@standrews-children.org.uk
0131 454 3370
St Margaret’s Children and Family Care Society
Provides adoption advice and support for adopted adults in Scotland
info@stmargaretsadoption.org.uk
0141 332 8371
Voluntary Adoption Agencies in Wales
St David’s Children Society
Provides adoption services for adopted adults in Wales
info@stdavidscs.org
02920 667007
Regional Adoption Agencies
Adopt East Midlands D2N2
Regional adoption agency covering Derbyshire, Derby, Nottinghamshire and Nottingham
enquiries@adoptioneastmidlands.nottscc.gov.uk
0115 804 4567
Adopt London East
Covering Tower Hamlets, Newham, Barking & Dagenham and Havering
east@adoptlondon.org.uk
01708 434 547
Adopt London North
Covering Enfield, Haringey, Barnet, Camden, Islington and Hackney
north@adoptlondon.org.uk
020 7527 4777
Adopt London South
Covering Richmond upon Thames, Wandsworth, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Sutton, Croydon, Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham
AdoptionALS@southwark.gov.uk
020 7525 1746
Adopt London West
Covering Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow
west@adoptlondon.org.uk
020 8825 5241
Adopt North East
Covering Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Gateshead
adoptnortheast@northtyneside.gov.uk
0191 643 5000
Adopt South
Covering Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight
comments.adoptsouth@hants.gov.uk0300 3000 011
Adopt South West
Covering Devon, Somerset, Plymouth and Torbay
adoptsouthwest@devon.gov.uk
0345 155 1076
Adopt Tees Valley
Covering Hartlepool, Redcar & Cleveland, Middlesbrough, Stockton-On-Tees and Darlington
info@adoptionteesvalley.org.uk
01642 526400
Adopt Thames Valley
Covering Oxfordshire, Swindon, West Berkshire, Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell Forest, Windsor and Maidenhead
adoptthamesvalley@oxfordshire.gov.uk
0800 731 0171
Adoption Central England (ACE)
Covering Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Solihull, Coventry and Herefordshire
Adoption Connects
Covering Milton Keynes and Central Bedfordshire
enquiries@adoptionconnects.co.uk
0300 300 8090
Adoption Counts
Covering Salford, Trafford, Manchester, Stockport and Cheshire East
Adoption in Merseyside (AiM)
Covering Wirral, Sefton, Liverpool and Knowsley
0151 477 8700
Adoption Now
Covering Rochdale, Oldham, Tameside, Bury, Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen
01204 336 094
Adoption West
Covering Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Bristol, North Somerset and Bath and NE Somerset
03303 550 333
Adoption@heart
Covering Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley and Sandwell Children’s Trust
info@adoptionatheart.org.uk
01902 553 818
Ambitious for Adoption
Covering Harrow, Slough Children’s Services Trust, Bromley, Redbridge, the City of London, Waltham Forest and Hillingdon
adoption@coram.org.uk
020 7520 0383
Aspire
Covering Dorset, Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch
enquiries@aspireadoption.co.uk
0300 123 9868
One Adoption North Yorkshire & Humber
Regional adoption agency covering North Yorkshire, York, East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull and North East Lincolnshire
0345 305 2576
One Adoption West Yorkshire
Regional adoption agency covering Bradford, Leeds, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield
0113 378 3535
Together for Adoption
Regional adoption agency covering Cheshire West & Chester, Halton, Warrington, St Helens and Wigan
01942 487272
Other Support Available
Transnational and Transracial Adoption Group
Organisation hoping to facilitate networking and contact opportunities for adopted people whose racial and cultural heritage differs from their adoptive family.
enquiries@ttag.org.uk
CoramBAAF
CoramBAAF is an independent membership organisation for professionals, foster carers and adopters, and anyone else working with or looking after children in or from care, or adults who have been affected by adoption. It is a successor organisation to the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF).
CoramBAAF Locating Adoption Records Database
The database can be searched using information about a home (maternity, mother & baby, shelter etc), organisation or local authority involved in the birth or adoption, or a staff member who worked in one of these homes or organisations. The results show the most likely current holder of the adoption records and include full contact details so that further enquiries can be made.
Family Research
Ancestry
Paid members’ service for the UK, offering access to one billion searchable UK family history records. Part of the Ancestry.com global network – which as access to 20 bullion searchable family history records.
British Library
Includes services for requesting electoral roles for previous years. Advance notice is required.
Cyndi’s List
Lists useful geological resources on the web.
Family Search
Free service run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Requires registration but you don’t need to be a member of the church to use the service.
Find My Past
Ancestry service featuring a range of research services, including DNA testing.
Genuki
Free genealogical information for the whole of the UK.
National Records of Scotland
Official Records of the Scottish government. Includes information regarding family history and registrations of births, deaths, marriages etc.
Salvation Army Family Tracing Service
Agency providing support with searches for family. Not suitable for adopted people, but can be accessed by those who were in care.
about-family-tracingfamily.tracing@salvationarmy.org.uk
020 7367 4747
ScotlandsPeople
Official Scottish Government site for searching government records and archives. Apply for copies of official certificates and to research family history, biography, local history and social history.
The National Archives
The UK government’s official archive, including access to history resources and information.
Tracing Services
Ariel Bruce
Private service offering tracing services for people affected by adoption, as well as intermediary services.
Birthlink
Charity based in Scotland supporting anyone with questions relating to adoption issues, including adopted adults, birth parents of adopted people, local authority workers, adoption agencies and other professionals. Also offers tracing services, intermedia
Born to be Found
Independent research company working on behalf of local authorities, adoption support agencies and the general public. Offers a tracing service.
DNA Detectives Facebook Group
Genetic genealogy group focused on using DNA to find biological family for adoptees, foundlings, donor-conceived individuals, unknown paternity and all other types of unknown parentage cases – recent and more distant.
Families-in-Time
Service offering family history research and tracing services.
Directory Services
192.com
Paid service allowing you to search for individuals.
BT Phonebook
Free directory service.
Community Groups
Adult Adoptee Movement
How To Be Adopted
The Dunbar Project
Podcasts
Adopted Feels
AdopteesOn
Born in June Raised In April
Loco Parentis podcast
The Adoption and Fostering podcast
Who Am I Really
Blogs/Websites
Adoption reunion top tips
Anne Heffron
Dear Adoption
A blog giving voice to adoptees.
Foundlings – Babies without a name Facebook group
UK group aiming to increase awareness of foundlings, their plight for life and stimulate discussion on what can be done to help.
Mother & baby homes c1960s England
This website details findings from the author’s research, which explores the experiences of women who spent time in mother and baby homes in mid-20th century England.
Videos
15 Things Never To Say To An Adoptee
What Is The Primal Wound
By author Nancy Verrier.
Books
Adoption, search and reunion: the long-term experience of adopted adults
BAAF, Howe, D and Feast, J with Coster, D, 2003, ISBN: 1903699533,
Coming Home To Self by Nancy Verrier
Nancy Verrier
Searching Questions: Identity Origins and Adoption
BAAF, Feast, J & Philpot, T, 2003, ISBN: 1903699479,
Searching, reunion and transracial adoption
pp.6-18, Adoption & Fostering 24(3, Autumn 2000, Kirton, D, Feast, J and Howe, D
The Adoption Reunion Survival Guide: Preparing Yourself for the Search Reunion and Beyond.
New Harbinger Publications, Bailey, J and Giddens, L N, 2001, ISBN: 1572242280,
The adoption triangle revisited: a study of adoption, search and reunion experiences
BAAF, Triseliotis, J, Feast, J and Kyle, F, 2005, ISBN: 01903699711,
The Primal Wound by Nancy Verrier
Nancy Verrier
The Role of Mother and Baby Homes in the Adoption of Children Born Outside Marriage in Twentieth-Century England and Wales
Family & Community History 11(1), May 2008, pp.45-59
Books – Adoption (overview)
A Child for Keeps: the history of adoption in England, 1918-45
Palgrave Macmillan, Keating, J, 2009, ISBN: 978-1349355556,
Adoption: Changing Families, Changing Times
Routledge, Douglas, A and Philpot, T, 2002, ISBN: 0415256852,
Being Adopted: The Lifelong Search for Self
Bantam Dell Pub Group, Brodzinskly, D, Schechter, M and Henig, R, 1992, ISBN: 0385414021,
Chosen: Living with Adoption
BAAF, Harris, P, 2012, ISBN: 978 1 907585 63 0,
Coming Home to Self: Healing the primal wound
BAAF, Verrier, N, 2010, ISBN: 9781905664818
Journey of the Adopted Self: A Quest for Wholeness
Basic Books, Lifton, B & Lifton, J, 1994, ISBN: 0465008119
Preparing for Reunion: Experiences from the Adoption Circle (3rd edition)
The Children’s Society, Feast, J, Marwood, M, Seabrook, S & Webb, E, 2002, ISBN: 1899783091
Relatively Unknown: A Year in the Life of the Adoption Contact Register for Scotland.
Scotland Family Care, Clapton, G, 2003, ISBN: 0950811769
The Adoption Reunion Handbook
John Wiley and Sons Ltd, Trinder, L, Feast J and Howe, D, 2004, ISBN: 0470094222,
The Colours in Me: Writing and Poetry by Adopted Children and Young People
BAAF, Harris, P, 2008, ISBN: 978 1 905664 59 7,
The Primal Wound: Understanding the Adopted Child
Further details and ordering options can be found here
BAAF, Verrier, N, 2009, ISBN: 9781905664764
Books – Personal Stories
Family Wanted: Adoption Stories
Granta Books, Holloway, S, 2005, ISBN: 1862077533
The Birth Father’s Tale
BAAF, Ward, A, 2012, ISBN: 978 1 907585 41 8,
Books – Personal Stories (adopted adults)
A Good Likeness: A Personal Story of Adoption.
Abacus, Arnott, P, 2001, ISBN: 0349113289
All You Can Ever Know
Catapult, Chung, N, 2018, ISBN: 1936787970
An Affair with My Mother: A story of adoption, secrecy and love
Penguin, Palmer, C, 2017, ISBN: 024197173X
Blue-eyed Son: The Story of an Adoption
MacMillian, Campbell, N, 2004, ISBN: 978-0230768215
In Search of Belonging: Reflections of Transracially Adopted People
Can be found here
BAAF, Harris, P, 2006, ISBN: 1903699770
Mother Me: An Adopted Woman’s Journey to Motherhood
GemmaMedia, Phillips, Z H, 2008, ISBN: 1934848360
Nobody’s Child
Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, Adie, K, 2005, ISBN: 0340838000
Swimming up the Sun: A Memoir of Adoption
Apippa Publishing Company, Burton, N J, 2008, ISBN: 978-0979899201
You Don’t Look Adopted
Independently Published, Heffron, A, 2016, ISBN: 1086423437
Books – Personal stories (adopted children & young people)
Adopted Children Speaking
Further details and ordering options can be found here
BAAF, Thomas, C and Beckford, V with Lowe, N and Murch, M, 1999, ISBN: 1873868782,
Books – Personal Stories
(birth mothers)
Half a million women: mothers who lose their children by adoption
Can be ordered from www.postadoptioncentre.org.uk/publications.php
Penguin, Howe, D, Sawbridge, P and Hinings, D, 1992, ISBN: 0140154159
Books – Research Study
Adoption Search and Reunion: The Long-term Experience of Adopted Adults
The Children’s Society, Howe, D & Feast, J, 2000, ISBN: 189978330X
Adversity, Adoption and Afterwards: A Mid-Life Follow-Up Study of Women Adopted from Hong Kong
BAAF, Feast J and Grant M, Rushton A and Simmonds J, with Sampeys C, 2013, ISBN: 9781907585647
The Adoption Triangle Revisited: A Study of Adoption, Search and Reunion Experience
BAAF, Triseliotis, J, Feast, J and Kyle, F, 2005, ISBN: 1903699711
The role of mother and baby homes in the adoption of children born outside marriage in Twentieth-Century England and Wales
May 2008, pp.45-59
Family & Community History 11(1), Clark, G, 2008
Books – Search and Reunion
Adoption Search and Reunion: The Long-term Experience of Adopted Adults
BAAF, Howe, D & Feast, J, 2004, ISBN: 978-1903699539
Ithaka: A Daughter’s Memories of Being Found
Delta Books, Saffian, S, 1999, ISBN: 03853345016
Love Child: A Memoir of Adoption, Reunion, Loss and Love
Vermilion, Elliot, S, 2005, ISBN: 0091901790
Searching questions: identity, origins and adoption
Can be found here
BAAF, Feast, J and Philpot, T, 2003, ISBN: 1903699479
