In recent years, there’s been a growing trend of birth parents looking for their adult children who they gave up decades ago. At the other end of the spectrum, adults searching for their birth parents has been quite common for years. In fact, according to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, about half of all adopted children search for their birth parents for various reasons. Perhaps they want to learn about their family’s medical history and genetics that could impact their health. Maybe they want to understand the circumstances that led to their adoption. Whatever the reason may be, searching and potentially finding birth parents can be a prolonged, emotional, and costly process.
Private Investigators can help individuals find their birth parents, often with less time and hassle than attempting to go through the process online. While it may be costly to hire an experienced Private Investigator, their services can save individuals a lot of heartache, stress, and time. Many people feel that is worth the investment.
How Can Private Investigators Help Adults Find Their Birth Parents?
While hiring one is more costly than searching alone, Private Investigators have the resources and the know-how to cut back much of the time and effort needed to find relevant information and locate birth parents.
Specialized Databases
Rather than searching on Google as most people do, experienced Private Investigators can access specialized databases that are generally not available to the public. These can be used to conduct criminal background checks and piece together other background information. Having access to search engines and databases can increase the potential for success.
InterviewsÂ
After gathering background information, Private Investigators can discover new and relevant information through interviews with acquaintances, friends, or family members of the birth parents. Through interviews, Private Investigators may uncover how birth parents feel about meeting their adult children. Interviews are a valuable tool used by Private Investigators, and a skilled professional understands what questions to ask that will disclose the most useful information.
Facilitate ContactÂ
Private Investigators can help facilitate a meeting between adult children and their birth parents so it’s easier for everyone involved. By meeting with the birth parents and preparing them for questions that their adult children might want to ask—and vice versa for the individual searching for their adult parents—the first meeting is often less intimidating and beneficial for all parties involved.
Things to Consider Before Hiring a Private Investigator to Find Birth Parents
Private investigative services involve a higher cost than searching on the internet. Individuals who want to find their birth parents should ask about the case history and success rate of any Private Investigator they’re considering before entering into an agreement. It’s essential to partner with an experienced Private Investigator with a positive success rate who can be trusted.
Searchers should also have as much information prepared ahead of time that can increase the chances of success. Valuable information that can help a Private Investigator in their research includes:
- Names
- Dates
- Locations
- Adoption agencies
- Messages over the years
Adults should consider all possible outcomes of the search for their birth parents before hiring a Private Investigator. While a Private Investigator can track down birth parents and facilitate contact, sometimes birth parents do not consent to give out their contact information. Furthermore, if it was a closed adoption, any information relating to the birth parents is sealed. While filing a petition with the court might be successful in a closed adoption case, there are sometimes valid reasons, such as drug abuse, why the adoption was closed to protect the child. It’s essential for individuals to keep in mind that searching for their birth parents may not always produce desired results.
Online Courses Available for Private Investigators at the National Investigative Training Academy
The National Investigative Training Academy, Inc., (NITA) is a trusted source for online investigative training courses. Each investigative course provided by NITA is specifically designed to help investigative professionals advance their professional careers
and abilities through exceptional training authored by industry professionals. All of NITA’s courses are state-approved and created for 100% student satisfaction.Â
You can register for NITA online investigative training courses whenever you choose. Once enrolled, you can finish your course at your own pace, at any time, with 24/7 access to your course materials. To get started on your investigative careers, call 1-800-730-NITA (6482) or fill out our online contact form today.Â
Our enrollment counselors are here to answer any questions you might have about our state- and board-approved status, pre-licensing training, or professional development programs.
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