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Searching For Relatives Where Adoption is Involved

David Oates – research consultant at Relative Connections

Searching for relatives where adoption is involved is a very different process to where it is not a factor. I wanted to talk to you about how this makes a huge difference in how a search is carried out and what we need to consider to provide you with the best possible service.

My name is David Oates, I am the Head Researcher at Relative Connections, you can view my LinkedIn by clicking here. I am also the director of the adoption support agency which is regulated by Ofsted.

Back in 2015 we realised that to carry out searches where adoption is involved comes under the regulations of Ofsted.

You might be thinking, why should I care about that but its really important.

Back then I was Head Researcher at Relative Connections (I am still a Research Consultant and shareholder of Relative Connections) and I knew very little about adoption in relation to tracing lost relatives. There is much to consider to keep all parties safe and its critical you use an agency that understands that. Many trace companies do not understand this fully and do not have access to the right support that you might need or possibly the relative you are looking for might need.

It’s crucial to know the ins and outs of adoption law and the Ofsted regulations that govern our actions. These are there to keep people safe. That is why I’ve dedicated the last 6 years to really understanding adoption and how it works in relation to finding and contacting relatives where the separating factor was an adoption.

I now work for a huge array of both birth parents looking for their now adult children and also children looking for their birth parents. I also work for many siblings and half sibling who have been separated by adoption. Its delicate, intense work to try and get the best outcomes for everyone involved.

Thankfully, Ofsted provide clear guidelines on what can be done and how to go about things in the right way.

We can access the right data such as adoption records and we can work through any issues that can arise on the journey to get you answers and contact. We offer counselling and other support. The combination of my tracing background combined with Ofsteds guidelines has meant we are now members of C.A.S.A (Consortium of Adoption Support Agencies) we also provided a report to the Parliamentary Review on our processes and concerns. And of course, we work closely with Ofsted and have an outstanding rating.

This work is not carried out by Relative Connections but by Joanna North Associates, but you should call Jake at Relative Connections on 0113 282 5900 should you wish to find out more about our adoption services and how they can help you.

It has been a long road to get to this point where we feel like we can provide you with an excellent service and can leverage our working relationships with the GRO and various Adoption Agencies.

CLICK HERE to find out how we can help you find someone if adoption is involved.