I was adopted. How do I find information about my birth parents? 

The first step is to confirm that you were adopted through Children’s Home Society of Washington (CHSW). If you were, please call our Adoption Resource Center at (206) 695-3200. We can tell you more about specific services, and start the search process.  

How do I find information about my adoption if CHSW was not the placing agency? 

If you don’t know which agency facilitated your adoption, contact the Superior Court in the county where your adoption was finalized. Ask for the Family Law Division and request a non-identifying family history report. This report should include the name of the agency used to facilitate your adoption.

I am a birth parent and want to find information about the child I placed for adoption. Where do I start? 

If your child was placed in an adoptive home through Children’s Home Society of Washington, contact us at (206) 695-3200 to initiate the process. If you do not remember which agency you used at the time, contact the maternity home where you stayed during your pregnancy to request a report that will include this information. 

How far back do your records go? 

Our records go back to 1896, the year our organization was founded.

Who uses search and reunion services? 

Search and reunion services are for adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, or relatives of a deceased birth parent or adoptee. Washington law requires that an adoptee seeking identifying information about their birth parents or pursuing an active search must be at least 21 years old and emancipated from their parents. If an adoptee is under 25 and still dependent on their parents, the adoptive parents must give permission to receive information or start a search.

How long does a search take?

Our goal is to complete a search as quickly as possible, but there are many factors involved in determining how long a search will take—such as how many times a person has moved, married, divorced, or changed her/his name. We will conduct a very thorough search so that we know we are contacting the right person.  While some people may be found easily through Internet searches, there’s no substitute for accurate, definitive, and complete research.

Can’t I just hire a private investigator to do my search? 

No. Anyone who requests records must be certified as a confidential intermediary per Washington state law RCW 26.33.343. 

Why are adoption records sealed?
Adoption records in Washington state were ‘open’ until 1935. Anyone could access the records, which were kept in the probate files in the county courthouse. In 1935, a law was passed that required the adoptee’s original birth certificate and decree of adoption to be placed in a sealed file at the state level in the Vital Records department. This law was meant to protect all the parties from each other, and resulted in both positive and negative effects.

In 1976, a Seattle adoptee convinced a judge to agree to open her birth record if a neutral third party was used to make the contact with the birth mother when she was found. This reunion was successful. Eventually, most counties had at least one judge who would open adoption records to a trained and licensed confidential intermediary. In 1990, state legislators passed a law allowing confidential intermediaries to conduct searches and facilitate reunions. Today, search and reunion services are routine matters.

How does a confidential intermediary facilitate a search and reunion? 

Per RCW 26.33.343 (5), if the confidential intermediary locates the person being sought, a discreet and confidential inquiry shall be made as to whether or that person will consent to having his/her identity disclosed to the petitioner. The identity of the petitioner is not disclosed to the party being sought.

If the party being sought agrees to the disclosure of his/her identity, the intermediary obtains written consent, and puts this document in the report filed with the court. If the party being sought refuses to share her/his identity, the confidential intermediary reports the refusal to the court and must refrain from further inquiry without judicial approval. 

Can I have a copy of my file? 

No.  All adoption records are sealed per RCW 26.33.330.

How much do Search and Reunion services cost? 

We use a sliding fee scale based on total gross family income to ensure that everyone has access to our services. This scale provides discounts for people with lower incomes, and allows us to serve everyone requesting assistance. Children’s Home Society of Washington is committed to keeping our fees as low as possible.  

What information can I get from my file? 

You may have non-identifying information from your file, as defined in RCW 26.33.020.  Please note that while this RCW provides a legal definition of the type of information is included in a report, the data available is limited to what was collected and placed in a child’s file during adoptive planning. 

 What happens after I send you the fee for a search? 

Once we receive full payment of your fee, the search through public records begins. These records may include marriage records, birth records, death records, and obituaries.

What if the agency that facilitated the adoption is now closed?  

By law, adoption records must be kept for 100 years.  When an agency closes, they are required to find another adoption agency that can maintain their records for the required amount of time. 

 Does Children’s Home Society of Washington maintain records from other adoption agencies?  

Yes. Children’s Home Society of Washington maintains records for the Adoption Center of Washington and Aloha Adoption Services.

If I only want to update my record with new contact information, do I still need to pay a fee?  

Yes. Every time information in a file is changed, CHSW is charged to pull, ship, and restock the record.