Tracing a birth parent...

I'm writing this on behalf of somebody who'd like to trace their mother. The last time they tried was in 1986 when they went into a place in South Anne Street in Dublin and had a very bad experience with the people working there (they had been told that that place would know about their background). They were born/adopted in 1969/70, and they remember being told something about an Offaly connection to their adoption.

The thing which bothered them most was that if they put all this energy in they might still never find out their birth family because the birth mother's name might have been removed from everything. How common was this? That, and that their birth mother had the right not to have her name revealed. Has the law not been changed to give adopted children a right to be told their birth mother's name?

Where would such a person even start this search? Is there any advice/support for such people in Dublin? Are there any online resource/database that they could search? They are not internet users so I'll have to sit down with them and go through whatever resources are available. They asked me to help so I'll try and get them on the right road, but I'm quite busy with work etc myself. Thanks.

Ghekko

Firstly they should register their details on the National Adoption Contact Preference Register. There may be a chance a birth relative has also registered and they would be matched. Next they need to ascertain which agency was involved in their adoption - this can be done by writing to the Adoption Authority of Ireland. Once they have the agency details they can write to them requesting a trace to be initiated and also to request any non identifying information that is on file. Different agencies give different levels of information it seems. My husband was lucky and with the info he got I was able to trace his birth mother. Waiting times vary depending on the agency involved - Dublin probably being the longest. While on the waiting list for a social worker your friend can start a trace themselves. There are tracing guides in a sticky thread at the top of the Adoption section and they are great for enabling people to search for birth relatives. Also check out Adoption Rights Alliance website and Facebook page for more info.

kathy finn

Hi,
South Anne St Dublin was catholic protection and rescue society now Cunamh.
Cunamh adoption agency are still there and have a website where you can download forms etc for trace.
Cunamh waiting list can be upto 3 years,
If you know where born etc i would suggest you do your own search useing the tracing guides.
Kathy

Rosell

Hi
I have just started searching for my son. Registered with National Adoption Contact Preferance Register and received a letter that if there was a match, I would hear within 4-6 weeks.
Registered with Cúnamh, which is also the agency the adoption went through and the current waiting list for a trace is 10-12 months. These letters I received this week.
Best of luck.