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Become familiar with the language of adoption [Glossary of Terms] and commonly used abbreviations used on many adoption sites and registries:

MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY
TRIAD	the three parties to an adoption: adoptee, birth parents and adoptive parents; however, since the adoption community has become more vocal, new terms are being coined such as constellation, circle, and others to include siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other relatives on both the adoptive and birth sides of the family.

AA	Adult Adoptee
AD	Adoptee
ADAD	Adoptive Dad, Adoptive Father
AMOM	Adoptive Mom, Adoptive Mother
APARS	Adoptive Parents
ASIB	Adoptive Sibling
ASIS/ABRO	Adoptive Sister, Adoptive Brother
BD	Birth Daughter
BDAD	Birth Dad, Birth Father
BFAM	Birth Family
BMOM	Birth Mom, Birth Mother
BPARS	Birth Parents
BS	Birth Son
BSIB	Birth Sibling
BSIS/BBRO	Birth Sister, Birth Brother
EMOM	Expectant Mom
FBA	Foreign-Born Adoptee
KS/KD/KC	Kept Son, Kept Daughter, Kept Child
LDA	Late Discovery Adoptee
PAPS	Prospective Adoptive Parents

OTHER GENERAL
ABC	Amended Birth Certificate
BC	Birth Certificate
BMA	Black Market Adoption
CC	Catholic Charities
CPS	Child Protective Services
CHS	Children's Home Society
CI	Confidential Intermediary
DC	Death Certificate
DNR	Do Not Remember
DOB	Date Of Birth
DSS	Department of Social Services
FCH	Florence Crittenton Home
FHS	Family History Center (LDS)
ISO	In Search Of
INS	Immigration & Naturalization Service
ISRR	International Soundex Reunion Registry
LDS	Latter Day Saints (Church of)
NON-ID	Non-Identifying information
OBC	Original Birth Certificate
OBIT	Obituary
OLV	Our Lady of Victory (home/agency)
PA	Private Adoption
PI	Private Investigator
POB	Place Of Birth
SS	Social Services/Social Security
SSDI	Social Security Death Index
SW	Social Worker
VS/DVS	Vital Statistics/Department of Vital Statistics

and from a wonderful listsib:
HSW : Happy Social Worker

More: The Big List of Acronyms

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