Read our latest 2023 Searching in Intercountry Adoption Perspective Paper in English. It includes input from 26 intercountry adoptees from 12 birth countries, sent to 9 adoptive countries.
View our Webinar on 23 April 2023, Searching in Intercountry Adoption by Adoptee Experts see below:
Click here for Key Messages and Resources from the webinar above.
View our Webinar on 30 July 2023, Reunion and Beyond, see below:
Click here for our Key Messages and Resources from the webinar above.
Read our 2016 Search & Reunion: Impacts & Outcomes Perspective Paper, in English or French, a worldwide collation of over 40 intercountry adoptees from 14 countries of origin, sharing the ups and downs of searching, with hopes of reunion with original families, and in many cases, the complexities after reunion. Read our Summary of Key Themes.
Review & Summary of our Perspective Paper by Thomas Graham, editor of the Australian Journal of Adoption and owner of Ipsify, sequel to the journal.
ICAVs Contemplating Searching Guide written specifically for intercountry adoption contexts – for those adoptees who want to search but have no idea where to begin. This guide includes adoptee led organisations who provide Search & Reunion and / or DNA searching support.
A paper on the Search for Origins by Vietnamese intercountry adoptee and psychologist Maïly Daigle, based in Canada, in French.
A tutorial video created by Sandra Mahé in connection with adoptee led group, La Voix des Adoptés, spoken in French and providing guidance on searching if you are an intercountry adoptee living in France.
ISS – SSI released a Search for Origins Guide specific to intercountry adoption.
ICAV worked with CHIP to create this Briefing Note: Safeguarding search for origins from illicit post-adoption practices. Adoptee led orgs co-signed.
ISS Australia created this 3 min video about the Importance of Finding Your Origins
Specific birth country information provided by adoptee led orgs on how to conduct a search:
Guatemalan adoptees have developed a searching app to help rate searchers and searching organisations, to assist adoptees with finding a searcher more easily. Coming Soon in 2024!
Korean adoptees can access the SKAN (Swedish Korean Adoptee Network) Birth Family Search Booklet.
Korean adoptees who are meeting biological family for the first time, The Adoptee Group has produced this book Handbook to Korea: for your next trip back, free of charge.
Sri Lankan adoptees can be assisted in their search by contacting Back to the Roots (Switzerland). They also provide a free Root Searching Guide for all Sri Lankan adoptees in English, French, German.
Other Resources
For Searching Services, see our extensive Post Adoption lists located in each Continent / Country – remember although these services are physically located in a certain geography, they often provide support to anyone connecting to them internationally seeking help.
(Book) In Reunion (Sara Docan-Morgan) : explores reunion from a research plus lived experience perspective of Korean adoptees
For those considering hiring a Search Angel / Private Detective / Search Organisation to find birth family or adoptee, a Code of Conduct and Searching Ethics Guidelines have been developed by intercountry adoptees at Healing Puentes (Elena Serrato) and Dr Susan Branco.
Genealogical DNA Service
An adoptee led org specialising in geneology for those undergoing DNA testing and wanting professional help to understand their DNA results, see Genealogical Research
Research In Intercountry Adoption Searching
Pauline Senchyna’s research on lessons learnt in Ireland from Search & Reunion for intercountry adoptees.
Read the latest 2023 Korean research on Searching for Korean intercountry adoptees (p.44, 45, 47, 78, 110, 127, 229-231)