01865 875000
Locate and make contact
A service for Adopted Adults
- A comprehensive package covering everything from tracing to making contact.
- Options on how and when initial contact is made.
- Regular updates and support from your intermediary support worker.
How the service works.
If you wish to use the service you will need to complete the form, which can be found here.
You will be contacted within 20 working days and advised what documentation and if any additional information is needed.
If you have not accessed adoption records you will be advised how to do so as the information gained may help with the practical aspects of the search. If you wish, AAA-NORCAP can obtain and share your adoption record information with you but has to charge to cover the costs involved. Access to adoption records should be available to you from your home local authority or the adoption agency involved free of charge as part of their statutory adoption service, although quite often there is a lengthy waiting list.
A Support worker will be appointed who will keep in touch with you and explain regularly how the search is progressing; s/he will also be able to answer any questions you have. Whilst the search progresses your Support worker will help you to think through all the possibilities, for you and your relative, which may arise from making contact.
As more information about your relative is obtained the discussions can become more focused. When your relative has been located your Support worker will discuss with you how you wish to proceed. At this stage you have at least three options:
- Use your Support worker to make that vital initial contact with your relative and to offer support and preparation to him/her. If you choose this option your intermediary will be available to support and assist both you and your relative for as long as you wish. This option enables you to make contact in the safest way and without having to reveal your current name and address to your relative immediately.
- Choose the Supported Direct Contact Service. Your Support worker will hand to you all the documentation used to locate your relative and also offer you a template of a letter you can use. This template includes details of the intermediary who has assisted you and gives your relative the choice of responding directly to you or initially to the intermediary. The support and assistance of the intermediary remains available to both you and your relative if you choose to use it. Some members want to be in personal control of their initial contact with their relative and if this is your choice then this model may work well for you whilst still giving your relative the option of responding via an intermediary.
- Do nothing at this stage and simply receive the information from your support worker. The option to use either the full Intermediary Service or Supported Direct Contact later without additional charge remains open to you.
How the service works.
Please expand the sections below to find out more on the subject.
How long will it take to find my relative?
It is not possible to predict how long any search may take. You can be assured that the people working for you are exceptionally skilled at this work and have the most comprehensive resources available. You will be advised by your Support Worker of the progress of your search at the end of the first two months and six weekly thereafter. Most searches will be resolved within 9 months and in some cases much sooner but a search will only be considered resolved when documentation has been obtained to support the final search report. Often it is obtaining the certificates, probate etc that takes the time. The more information you supply the quicker the search will be.
How is this service charged?
The initial charge for this Locate and Make Contact Service is £125. The balance can be paid in three further monthly instalments of £125 each. The Locate and Make Contact service includes both the location and the intermediary elements of the Service. You will not be asked to pay more however long the search takes unless the clear evidence is found that your relative has gone overseas. Many overseas searches can be resolved by AAA-NORCAP, but if this does not prove possible your Support Worker will discuss options with you. This will include the costs of specific services trusted by AAA-NORCAP that may be used to resolve the remainder your search.
Is there a limit to how much searching will be done?
No. Whilst it is not possible to predict how long a search will take or to guarantee that the search will be successful AAA-NORCAP promises not to give up. If a point is reached that every option open has been explored, this will be explained to you. Even then your case can be retained on an annual review scheme and we will re-examine your search each year when a new register of electors and index of births marriages and deaths has been published.
What if my relative has a very common name?
This will make the search more challenging. We may advise that the search is only viable if additional information about the relative or family members, such as dates of birth, is obtained from your adoption record. If necessary the search will be ‘on hold’ until you are able to provide the adoption record information. You will be given every possible assistance to get hold of any additional information from the agency or court records if you have not previously done so but please see the section with a red asterix below.
Can anyone use this AAA-NORCAP service?
Yes. However, your details must be entered on the AAA-NORCAP Register as a potential link would make contact easier and quicker.
* Why does the service not include obtaining my adoption records?
It is not possible to include obtaining adoption records routinely in this service. The staff time involved makes this impossible without additional cost. AAA-NORCAP can obtain your adoption records for you, there will be a charge for this. Also, AAA-NORCAP can meet with you to share the information contained but again it is necessary to charge for this. Access to your adoption records should be available to you from the Local Authority where you live, or possibly from the agency that arranged your adoption if known. Your local authority is not permitted to charge you for doing this work as it is part of its statutory adoption service – but there may be a waiting list. AAA-NORCAP recommends obtaining your adoption records before searching, if possible, as the information shared can be useful in the search as well as interesting for you.
If you would like to discuss this service in greater detail and to check whether it would be appropriate to your needs please call our advice and information service on 01865 875000.
