A list of useful websites related to adoption, search and reunion.
Adoption Contact Registers
General Register Offices
Organisations Offering Support and Advice
The Finding an agency to help you database on this website lets you search for agencies in England and Wales that can help you with your search for adoption records, provide counselling and advice on tracing and making contact with birth or adoptive relatives, and act as intermediaries on your behalf.
The agencies listed in this section are not included on the Finding an agency to help you database, either because they are not registered as Adoption Support Agencies, or are based in Scotland or Northern Ireland, but still offer valuable information, advice and support to people affected by adoption.
- Adoption UK - a national self-help group run by and for adoptive parents and foster carers, offering support before, during and after adoption.
- Birthlink - offers a range of services for people separated by adoption with a Scottish connection.
- Intercountry Adoption Centre - a source of information and advice on intercountry adoption issues, for both adopters and adoption professionals.
- Scottish Adoption Advice Service - a post adoption service offering advice, support and counselling to everyone affected by adoption.
- Transnational and Transracial Adoption Group - aims to offer support and provide a collective national voice to adoptees adopted into families whose racial and cultural heritage is different from theirs.
International Organisations
- Australia
- Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC) Provides information, counselling and a range of other services to anyone affected by adoption throughout New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
Family Research Resources
The following websites provide links to useful sources of records and resources and information on family research. Please note that some of these websites also provide research and tracing services on a fee-paying or subscription basis. Inclusion in this list does not constitute or imply endorsement, sponsorship or recommendation by us.
- Ancestry - Provides access to the complete set of indexes for the census from 1841 to 1901 for England and Wales plus other data sets. Provides a number of subscription and pay as you go services.
- Cyndi's List - Lists many useful genealogical sites available on the internet, including a section on adoption.
- Family Records - The official UK government website on finding family records.
- Family Research - News and articles on English, Scottish and Irish genealogy.
- Genuki - A collection of genealogical information for England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
- National Archives - The website for UK government´s official archive, which includes information about family history and links to resources including the A2A database and ARCHON directory.
- National Archives of Scotland - The website of the Scottish Executive's official archive, which includes information about family trees and access to adoption records.
- Scotland's People - The official online source of parish register, civil registration, census and wills & testaments records for Scotland.
Other Useful Resources