• Keep a three ring binder with all of your research, the people you have called, resources you have used, documents you have consulted, etc.

• Familiarize yourself with your public library holdings, i.e., directories, phone books, microfilm machines, etc. Find out what resources are available.

• Photocopy all documents twice. One copy is to be used as your working copy and the other is for the Parent Finder file. Place the original documents in a safe place and NEVER give or send them to anyone. A lost document can add years to a search.

• Register with a Parent Finders group or a similar group in your area. Find out when there are meetings and plan to attend as many as possible. It is here you will recieve emotional support and information to help you in your search. Your registration places you on the Parent Finders nation wide computer registry.

• Register with "Post Adoption Services". You will find information about how and where to cantact them on our "General Information Page"

• If you are an adoptee speak with your adoptive family and ask them for any information they may have or can remember concerning your adoption. Remember, anything your family can tell you will be of help.

  You will need to know:

  What city you were born in?

  What hospital?

  What Childrens Aid Society (CSA) handled the adoption? Whay city?

  If a lawyer or doctor we used, what names?

  Were your adoptive family given verbal or written information about your Birth Family

• Ask your family for the documents they recieved concerning your adoption. The documents may or may not include the official Adoption Order. The Adoption Order is a court document given to the parents as finalization of the adoption. It usually contains the adoptees birth name. Request a copy from the courts if you do not have this document.

• Birth Parents are entitled to have copies of anything they signed at the time of adoption. Request these from the (CSA) involved. Such forms will not assist you in locating your child but they will give you better understanding of the process you went through. Birth Parents should also request background information on the adoptive family, from the (CAS).

• Ask questions. There is no question that cannot be asked. Never assume there is no more information to be had. Parent finders will help you plan the right questions and will suggest ways to ask them.

• Listen carefully. Sometimes people will reveal information, or will give you verbal leads but not written ones. Learn to listen carefully to people with whom you speak and ask questions acccordinglt.

This is a huge data base with searchers from all accross Canada and down into the United States. It supplies a wonderful resource of material that will assist you in your search. This web site was the inspiration for mine.

Parent Finders Head Office in Vancouver B.C.

Parent Finders NB registry has a searchable database as well as some very helpful links. If you were born and placed for adoption or searching in NB, I would definately take a look at this site. I am adoptee myself and searched through NB Parent Finders and have located my Birth Family. Keep up the excellent work Marie!!

This is a cool place to find more links, and Kitchen/Waterloo data base

This is a searchable data base with listings worldwide

Another great adoption resource page with a searchable data base, and excellevt place to look, that will assist you in your search. This is a link from Manitoba Canada.

Home of the "Butterbox Babies"

An excellent site to check out with all kinds of help hits

A great list to become a part of. Your will get to hear of reunions and suggestions and hints on how other adoptees went about doing their search

A great place to register and become part of a mailing list for your area

More great help in Ontario

At this link you find help for the province of Quebec, English or French!

This adoption site has information relating to Quebec

This is another great registry and information site. Check it out, the author is a Birth Mom with a story I'm sure anyone would like to hear

This is a new registry just getting underway, please check out their pages!