Adopted adults who search for background information and contact with birth relatives

As part of its work with adopters, adopted people and their birth relatives, the Children's Society Post-adoption and Care Counselling Research Project is engaged in a number of studies looking at adopted people's experiences of seeking background information and contact with birth relatives. Between 1988 and 1995, project workers provided advice and counselling beyond initial contact to 366 adopted people seeking information and possible reunion with a birth relative. In the following study, Julia Feast and David Howe analysed the agency's file records to determine the numbers and characteristics of adopted people who sought help from the project's counsellors. Findings are presented about the demographic characteristics of the adopted adults, their reasons for wanting the service, the type of contact established with a birth relative and the quality of relationship with their adoptive parents