How Many Search?



Although accurate adoption search statistics are hard to come by, it is estimated that approximately 10 to 15% of all adoptees search. In Brodinsky, et al. Search for Self, they speculate that 100% of all adoptees search in some fashion. For some, however, the search is only an inward fantasy search.

Few statistics break down the numbers of birth parents who search; however, as more birth parents become informed about how to search, the numbers of those searching will likely increase.. Birth parents should be aware that many adoptees long to be found and hope that their birth parents will search.

When you type “adoption searching” in Yahoo, here is the result:

1 - 10 of about 5,090,000 for adoption searching.
Although obviously some of these hits are not pertinent, they are an indication that there is a great deal of interest in adoption searching.

The Adoption Reunion Registry which bills itself as the world’s largest adoption registry and the Internet's #1 reunion registry currently lists over 300,000 registrations.

From the sheer numbers of post-adoption search-related resources that have sprung up at adoption agencies over the years, agencies must be getting many requests for information about birth family members. And almost every state Web site in the country now lists information about access to adoption records as well.

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Credits: Jan Baker